


In Loki's Possession

by rosarevolution



Category: Loki Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types, Tom Hiddleston Fandom
Genre: Dom Loki (Marvel), Dubious Content, Eventual Romance, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, King Thor (Marvel), Loki Can Be Sweet, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Falls In Love, Loki Feels, Loki Fucks Hard, Loki Kink, Loki Needs a Hug, Loki is fucking sexy, Loss of Virginity, Master/Pet, Master/Slave, Multi, Non-Consensual, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Possessive Loki (Marvel), Protective Loki, Rape, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rough Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Sexual Slavery, Shameless Smut, Slavery, Smut, Somnophilia, loki is a little shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-14 05:58:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 41
Words: 170,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13583748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosarevolution/pseuds/rosarevolution
Summary: Taken from her hometown in Midgard, Layla ends up at a slave market in a foreign world.When Loki visits the market looking for a new plaything, the mortal girl arouses his interest and he decides to take her home.





	1. Look At Me, Girl

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first try at writing fanfiction and I hope some of you enjoy it! Feedback is very welcome and appreciated.
> 
> English is not my first language, so please forgive any mistakes I am sure I've made (and feel free to correct them, if you want).
> 
> In case the tags were not warning enough: this story is going to be shamelessly smutty and if you don't like non-con fantasy, you are most definitely wrong here - this story contains very graphic descriptions of such.
> 
> Loki is going to be a selfish, arrogant and (of course) horny little shit in this, not caring at all about the feelings of his mortal pet, but over time he might grow to like her... or more.

"Is this a mortal?"

Those were the first proper words I had heard in days. There were hundreds of other girls around me, all of them chained up and huddled in the bottoms of their small cages just like I was, but we were not allowed to speak.

Over the last few months we had tried to talk with each other several times, but we had never managed to exchange more than just a couple of words until one of the guards had noticed. They had been creative in finding new ways of punishment - sometimes they dragged some of the girls out of their cages and beat them up until they were barely able to crawl back into their cages once the guards were done with them; sometimes they poured buckets of ice cold water over us and let us almost freeze to death, and one time they had all gathered up in front of a cage to pee on the poor girl that had tried to talk with the girl in the cage next to her, while mocking her cries of shame and terror and laughing about her pleas to leave her alone. Well, to make a long story short - we had learned to stay silent over the time.

So all I had heard in days, apart from the heavy footsteps of the guards, were the usual sounds of crying and sobbing around me.

When I heard a male voice asking this question, I looked up, startled to see someone stand in front of my cage. I cowered against the iron rods at the back of my cage to avoid the man's eyes - nothing good has ever come of anybody taking further notice of you in this place.

But of course it was pointless. He took a step nearer to my cage and now stood only a few inches away from me. I stared at the ground, desperate not to make any eye contact.

"Yes, your Highness", I heard another voice answer, but I didn't dare to look up again.

"I was not aware that you are in the possession of midgardian slaves."

"It's the only one we have, your Highness."

"I see."

I could see the two pair of feet walk away from my cage and let out a relieved sigh. There had been other visitors before, and they usually took one or two of the girls with them. These girls had never been heard of again, and I refused to imagine what might have happened to them. It may sound strange, but by now, I had started to find comfort in my little cage - as small, cold and uncomfortable as it was, at least it was mine, and nobody could touch me in here. Nothing good had ever happened to anybody the guards had dragged out of their cage.

I curled up in a ball, trying to look as small and unappealing as possible, and my eyes met those of the girl next to me. She was lying in the exact same position as I did, and I gave her a weak smile that she returned. We had tried to speak with each other a few weeks ago, but had been caught and brutally beaten for our small conversation. I still felt a stinging pain in my chest whenever I breathed in and I had several cuts and bruises on my body. We knew better than trying to talk again, but our eyes locked and I knew that we both prayed not to be chosen by this man.

I tried to remember her name, but couldn't. Something with an S, I think... Sarah? Sandra?

I was so busy trying to think of it that I didn't notice the feet that suddenly appeared in front of my cage again. It was only when I could see Samira's - there it was, Samira! - eyes widen in sheer terror that I realised the man and the guard had returned and were now standing right in front of me.

"You, girl, stand up", the guard commanded, and I slowly lifted my head. He definitely meant me. I didn't dare to say anything, but I stared at him in confusion. He did know, didn't he, that my cage was too small to stand up in it?

"I do not think that she can stand up in this cage", the visitor said irritated, "Get her out of it."

" _No. No, no, no!_ " A voice in my head screamed, and my heart started to hammer against my chest. Samira watched me and I could read both pity and relief in her eyes.

The guard opened the door and waited.

"Get out", he said, as if he thought I didn't understand what he expected me to do with the open door, but I didn't move. It wasn't as if I wanted to refuse his commands, I simply couldn't follow them. I was paralysed by fear and found myself not able to get on my feet.

"I said, get out", the guard repeated, louder this time, and when I still didn't react, he grabbed the chain that was attached to the collar around my neck and yanked me out of the cage. Falling down on my hands and knees in front of the two men, I choked on the tight grip of the collar and coughed, which caused me to whimper in pain. Coughing sure didn't help on the stinging pain in my chest.

"Do try not to kill her before I could even have a proper look on her, will you?" the visitor said casually, and the guard bowed slightly.

Then I could feel the man's scrutinizing gaze on me. 

"Look at me, girl", he ordered, and I lifted my eyes hesitantly until they met his. I hadn't really looked at him before. He was very tall and had a handsome face with high cheekbones and black hair that fell into his bright green eyes with a casual elegance, and he was dressed in some sort of armour which was mostly black with a few golden and dark green parts in it. Even though he was definitely good-looking, he was also the most intimidating man I had ever seen. He somehow looked menacing and I felt myself shiver. I quickly lowered my gaze again.

"Take off this sad excuse of clothing", he said, and my eyes widened.

_What? Did he want me to strip myself right here?_

All of us had been given the same white cotton dress when we had arrived here, and we hadn't been allowed to change it since then. It wasn't more than dirty rags by now, but it was still all I had to at least keep the last bit of dignity I had.

"Do as you're told!" the guard hissed at me and yanked at the chain again, and while I was desperately trying to suppress another painful cough, I surrendered. This wasn't the worst that had happened to me since I was taken from my hometown, so I guess I shouldn't even care about it. I took the dress off and let it fall to the ground, but couldn't help but try to hide my intimate parts with my hands. Luckily, the man didn't seem to care.

"She is emaciated" he commented, and I could feel the guard shrug indifferently.

"You do not feed them regularly?"

"Um, yes, we do, Your Highness. Of course we do. Some refuse to eat, though."

I didn't say a word, of course, but I felt anger rise inside of me. I couldn't even remember the last time we had been given a proper meal. And one of us refusing to eat? That was ridiculous. As soon as the guards threw food into our cages, we gobbled it down, no matter the state the food was in. A while ago they had thrown rotten vegetables and meat into the cages and we had still devoured them in mere seconds. Most of us had been feeling sick afterwards and some of the cages had been empty two days later.

"Is she a virgin?"

My eyes widened at this, the anger about the previous lie instantly forgotten.

"I'm afraid I don't know, Your Highness."

I looked up with fear and saw the black haired man looking rather annoyed.

"Do you not examine your ware before selling it?"

"I apologize, Your Highness. Do you wish for me to examine her now?"

I flinched and instinctively took a step back, not taking my eyes of the two men in front of me.

The visitor sighed. "I would be forever grateful", he said sarcastically.

The guard yanked at the chain and forced me to bow down in front of him. I cried out in fear and tried to escape his grip, but it was in vain. I felt the guard stepping behind me and screamed out in terror and pain when I felt him roughly push a finger inside of me. It only took a few seconds until he withdrew it, but the brutal invasion left a stinging soreness in my most intimate parts and the humiliation hurt even worse. I hadn't noticed that I had started crying until I felt the burning wetness on my cold cheeks.

"She is indeed a virgin, Your Highness", the guard told the visitor, and I could hear his smug smile.

"Very well then. Get her into my carriage."

I wanted to protest, I wanted to scream, I wanted to kick and hurt these two monsters and then run, run as far as I could.

But I didn't. The only thing I was brave enough to do while the dark haired man gave the guard a couple of gold coins to pay for me was to glance over at the cage next to mine to meet the frightened eyes of Samira, who whispered a silent, pitiful farewell to me.

 


	2. By The Way, I'm Loki

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how it happened, but I wrote Loki a lot nicer than I had planned to. The God of Mischief also mischievously made me write an unplanned part in his point of view.
> 
> Thank you for every single one who has left Kudos, I am thrilled to see that there are people who actually liked the first chapter!

The guard dragged me out of the market place and along a small path until we stopped in front of a big golden carriage with two large, black horses. The dark haired man has been walking beside us without giving me another look.

I was freezing - it was even colder outside of the market hall, and I was still naked. I also felt a little dizzy and weak and had to pull myself together to keep up with the fast pace the two men had. After all, I haven't been walking more than a few steps each day for several months now.

The guard turned to look at the tall man. "Thank you very much for your visit, Your Highness, and I would be honoured to see you again when you have finished with this one."

His so-called Highness only gave him a short nod and opened the door of the carriage. I had flinched at the words 'finished with this one' and was still staring at the guard in shock when the other man waved at me impatiently.

"Get inside now, you vermin!" the guard yelled when I didn't react quickly enough and roughly pushed me into the carriage.

I yelped when I stumbled over the doorstep and lost my balance, but to my surprise the dark haired man jumped over and caught me just before I hit the ground. He guided me carefully into one of the cushioned seats and when I looked up to him with fearful eyes he almost looked concerned.

"I would appreciate if you ceased trying to break my slave's bones after I have already paid a fair amount of money for her", he hissed at the guard, then yanked the chain out of his hands. It seemed to disappear in a bright green light.

"I apologize, Your Highness", the guard mumbled, but the man had already closed the doors. He whistled and the horses started to run.

I could feel his gaze on me but decided to not return it and kept staring at the ground instead. We were both sitting there in silence, only a few feet between us, and I wondered what horrible things he was planning to do to me considering the guard's expectation of him 'being finished with me' soon. When my stomach suddenly growled loudly, the man chuckled. 

"Hungry, are we?"

I remained silent.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

I opened my mouth to answer him but found myself not being able to make a sound. My throat was dry and felt sore and I briefly wondered if I was just hoarse or if I might have lost my voice after all this time I hadn't been allowed to use it. I nodded instead.

"You have not been fed regularly then, have you? Or refused to eat, as the guard told me?"

I didn't dare to answer. He did sound as if he was interested in the truth, but I wasn't sure if I could really trust him. What if this was a trap? What if the guards wanted to test my loyalty to them? I wasn't sure whether I was being paranoid or just reasonably careful. Whatever I was, the man sitting in front of me didn't approve of it.

"Slave girl, I asked you a question and I do expect you to answer it."

Again, I opened my mouth, but only a cough made it out of it and I whimpered in pain.

I looked up to the man whose narrowed eyes were watching me carefully.

"You do speak my language, do you not?"

I nodded desperately.

"Why do you refuse to talk then?"

It was the first time a slight hint of anger showed in his voice, and I felt myself panic. I was quite sure I did not want to make this guy angry.

"I... I..." I croaked desperately, but my throat refused to let me speak and I let out a silent and hurtful sob instead.

The man eyed me up and down and then suddenly reached out for me, scaring the hell out of me with the sudden and unexpected movement, and I winced and squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain.

   


* * *

 

 

I was starting to wonder if this girl could understand a single word of what I was saying.

_Maybe I should have asked the guard a few more questions apart from her virginity_ , I thought, mentally shaking my head at my stupidity.

When I asked her if she spoke my language, she nodded, though, but that was it, and she went back to gazing into space again.

_Great_ , I thought, _Father will be enthralled when he finds out that I have spent a fortune on a mentally challenged mortal woman_.

That was not at all what I had planned when I had thought of purchasing a pleasure slave. All that I had wanted was a little distraction from the constant battles with my brother and father, someone to take care of my needs, something to ease my mind with. I had planned to look out for a pretty light elf or maybe a beautiful asgardian woman.

When I discovered this mortal girl at the market instead, I was intrigued with her frail little body and her vivid, big brown eyes, but obviously, I should have given it a second thought. I felt anger rise inside of me.

"Why do you refuse to speak, then?" I asked her, annoyed by her silence.

She seemed scared and made a few pathetic noises, then started crying again, clasping her thin arms around her body.

That was the first time I actually realized the bad condition she was in. Sure, I had noticed that she was malnourished and very pale, but I had planned on getting her pampered a little until she looked better, since I don't have much use for a slave girl that looked as if her bones would break underneath me. But now that I eyed her up more carefully, I realized that it wasn't just her underweight, her pale skin or the dark circles underneath her eyes - she looked exhausted and as if she was on the edge of breaking down; she seemed feverish and shivery and even though she was clearly trembling with cold, she looked as if she was sweating.

_She may not be mentally ill_ , I thought, _but definitely physically._

I reached out to touch her and was surprised when she flinched, pressing her back into the seat to avoid my hand and closing her eyes. I let my hand sink back and simply watched her until she opened her eyes again, staring at me with her big brown eyes. She seemed confused that I hadn't struck her.

"I will not hit you", I said carefully, "You didn't do anything wrong. I meant to touch your forehead to check on your temperature."

I reached out again - and she closed her eyes in fear again. This time I became impatient and kept reaching out until I could feel her skin, and now it was my time to flinch. She felt much hotter than I had expected and was covered in cold sweat.

I closed my eyes myself to concentrate on her body, then let my fingers wander over her face and her throat until I reached her chest.

"You have a very severe pneumonia", I stated, "I am actually surprised that you are still able to walk considering the unhealthy state your body is in."

It was true. I had sensed every single injury and infection of her, and it was truly disastrous. She had two broken ribs, countless bruises and cuts, her throat was so sore and swollen it was no surprise that she hadn't been able to talk, and besides her malnutrition, dehydration and sleep deprivation she suffered the worst form of pneumonia I had ever seen.

Of course I knew that slaves at the slave market weren't treated very well, but what this girl has been through could only be described as torture. I've never been to the slave market before and never cared about the conditions our new slaves had been in when they had been brought to the palace, so I didn't know if this was the usual treatment of a slave, but I must admit that I felt a little disgusted.

I don't care much about the well-being of our slaves, but the condition of this one was inacceptable. It was both cruel and - even more importantly - most unbefitting for a royal pleasure slave.

I found myself wishing I had realized her bad state of health back at the market - I would have chosen another woman then - but I didn't feel like going back and ask for a refund now that I had already bought this one. I met her frightened eyes and even felt a hint of pity.

I sighed. "Well, now you are already mine. So I will take you to the healer's room once we arrive at the palace and see what they can do for you."

By the norns. Going to the healer's room... That was not at all what I had expected to do after coming home with a brand new bed slave.

I noticed that she had started crying again and suddenly felt myself soften. When I conjured up a warm blanket and gave it to the girl, she just stared at me in confusion and it was only when I nodded encouragingly at her that she took it and wrapped it around herself.

"That is better, is it not? My name is Loki, by the way. Loki Odinson."


	3. Look At Your New Home

The blanket was incredibly soft and warm and I felt my cold body relax instantly. The man, Loki, kept watching me, but I looked out of the window to avoid his gaze.

He confused me. I had no idea why he was acting so... so nice. He hasn't been very respectful towards me at the slave market and it had been quite clear why he has been interested in me, as well - why else would he have asked if I was a virgin? If he had bought me because he wanted to turn me into some kind of sex slave - which I assumed, even though the thought of it made me tremble - then why on earth would he worry about my health now? Why would he care if I was sick? Why would he give me a blanket?

After a while, Loki pulled a book from underneath his seat and started reading. I decided to use the opportunity to finally take a proper look at him. He was definitely good-looking, as I had already noticed at the market, and now, sitting in this carriage with a book in his hands, he seemed to be much less threatening, too.

His movements, his gestures and his eloquent way of speaking made me wonder if he was some noble man; he seemed like an aristocrat. I suddenly remembered how the guard had called him "Your Highness"; they had never called anybody like that before. Was he someone important? Wait, didn't he say something about a palace before? I stared at him curiously when he suddenly looked up and caught my eyes, and I felt myself blush. I lowered my gaze immediately.

"No need to feel ashamed for staring, little slave girl", Loki chuckled, "I am aware that I can be rather enticing, and if things go as I had planned, we will both see a lot more of each other quite soon."

He winked.

He actually winked.

I stared at him, wondering if he realized that his words did not have a seducing effect on me at all, but a threatening one instead. I most certainly did not wish to see more of him, nor did I want him to see more of me - he had already seen too much in my opinion.

"Do not fret, girl. I will let you recover properly first. I could not fully enjoy ravishing you if I had to be too careful with your delicate little body."

I wasn't sure whether his words were calming or disturbing. I wrapped the blanket even tighter around myself. God, I didn't like the way this guy was talking about my body, like a hungry man that spoke of an exquisite dinner that was waiting for him, and the predatory look in his eyes unnerved me.

He was grinning.

"You are from Midgard, yes?

I nodded.

"Do you even know who... I mean, do you know where you are?"

I shook my head.

He smiled proudly. "You are in Asgard."

I watched him with furrowed brows. That didn't tell me anything at all. He looked startled - he had clearly expected a different reaction from me.

"You, um... you do know about Asgard, do you not? No?"

He sighed when I slowly shook my head and mumbled something that sounded like "Illiterate people, these mortals, I knew it." before he looked at me again.

"Asgard is one of the nine realms - which does not tell you anything either, I suppose? No, of course not." He shook his head in incredulous desperation and I felt like a silly little child being lectured. "Well, I believe it to be sufficient when you know that you now belong into this world named Asgard and to me, the son of Odin, who is king of said world."

I didn't know how to react and so I simply nodded to show him that I understood what he had said. He seemed to be a little taken aback by my lack of enthusiasm. Well, what did he expect? Was I supposed to kneel down before him now? If he had meant what he had said to me earlier, he would make me kneel down in front of him soon enough either way, I supposed. I felt myself shudder at this bitter thought.

Loki glanced out of the window and smiled. "We are almost there. Look at your new home, mortal."

I did as he said - and gasped. I could see beautiful forests, mountains and rivers and then, in the middle of an unbelievably beautiful city, a huge golden palace that was shining brightly in the sun. It was by far the most stunning view I had ever seen.

When we arrived, Loki stepped out of the carriage and my heart started racing. I wished I could have just stayed in the carriage all by myself.

"Come, girl", Loki said, and I stood up to follow him. I took a deep breath and left the carriage, but when my feet touched the ground, I felt my legs tremble as if they were suddenly too weak to carry me anymore. I felt dizzy, my head was spinning - my hands tried desperately to cling to anything that could keep me from falling to the ground, but it was too late. I tried calling out for the guy in front of me - and then everything went black.

 

* * *

 

When the girl stepped out of the carriage, I thought for a moment that she looked even paler than before, but I shrugged it off and turned around, looking for a guard who could take her to the healer's rooms.

Suddenly I felt something touch my back as if trying to grab me, and before I could even react I heard a croaky voice behind me.

"Loki..."

I turned around just in time to catch her.

_Well, great. Did she really have to die at the very moment that we arrived at the palace?_

When she coughed, I realized that she wasn't dead - not yet, anyways. I sighed. This was certainly not one of my wisest purchases.

I decided to take the girl to the healer's room myself. The fewer people knew about my little mortal mistake, the higher was the possibility that Father wouldn't hear about it.

The girl stayed unconscious the whole time, sometimes coughing or trembling in her sleep. Even after seeing her naked I was still surprised at how light she was. I could feel every single one of her bones sticking out of her frail body.

When I arrived at the healer's rooms, the unconscious mortal had nuzzled her face into my chest, sighing contentedly, and I couldn't help but smile. She was kind of cute, as weak and helpless as she was. If she survived, I was certain that I could have a lot of fun with her.

"My prince?"

I looked up to see Navah, one of our healers, staring at the mortal.

"Navah, I purchased this slave at the market today. I hadn't realized the state she was in."

"Is she... is she a mortal?"

"She is."

She furrowed her brows, opened her mouth to say something, but then simply nodded. "I will take care of her, my prince."

"Good. Let me know if she survives and if she does, tell me when I can expect her to be capable to fulfil the purpose she has been purchased for."

Navah had taken the girl in her arms, obviously surprised by her light weight, too, and now laid her down on one of the sickbeds to examine her. She looked up at my words.

"What will her purpose be?"

"She will be my pleasure slave."

Navah's dark eyes widened. "Your pleasure slave? My prince, I do not think -"

I did not need to say a single word - I gave her a look and she fell silent.

"I will do my best and let you know when she is ready for you", she said quietly, and I nodded.

"Very well."

When I had left the healer's rooms, I headed towards my own chambers. I had purchased several ingredients for potions that I needed to hide away in a secure place before anybody noticed them - a few of them were not allowed in Asgard and were only to be found at black markets. For a few minutes I wondered if I would see the slave girl again or if she wouldn't even survive the next days, and again I regretted that I hadn't chosen a woman more befitting to my needs.

Maybe I would join Thor on his daily visit of the city's brothel tonight. I didn't like the women in the brothels much, but it was better than nothing, I guessed.

When I arrived in my rooms to unpack my new ingredients, I had forgotten about the mortal girl I had purchased.


	4. Kneel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four weeks have passed since Loki's and Layla's arrival in Asgard... It's about time for Loki to play with his new toy.

"My prince?"

I looked up from the paperwork I have been working on for the last hours and was surprised to see Navah, one of our healers, standing in front of the library's desk. I nodded to greet her.

"My prince, Layla has fully recovered. She is ready to be released."

I raised my eyebrows. I didn't have the slightest clue who she was talking about.

"Layla, my prince. The mortal girl you have brought here from the slave market."

Oh. I must admit, I had forgotten about her. When I hadn't heard about her anymore, I had assumed that she had died - and in my defence, I was quite sure that I have never heard her name before.

"Of course, Layla. Yes. Get her ready and tell her to wait for me in my rooms."

When Navah bowed slightly and left the library, I looked thoughtfully at the papers in front of me. I hadn't expected the girl to survive and hadn't thought about her for weeks. It was a most pleasant surprise after a most unpleasant day, though, to hear that I would have company tonight. I smiled at the thought. I have never had a mortal before - and I was definitely looking forward to the evening now.

 

* * *

 

I felt as if I had spent the last four weeks in heaven. The nurses have told me that I had been unconscious for a few days in the beginning, but when they had started to take care of me, I had recovered very quickly. I had already felt much better when I've finally woken up.

The doctor, or healer as they call themselves here, had told me that she wanted me to stay in her rooms for a while so she could take proper care of the pneumonia and my malnutrition, and I hadn't been happy about that at first - but I quickly realized that this was the best thing that could have happened to me. Everybody in the healer's rooms was incredibly nice - they sat down to just talk to me as often as they could and they brought me books to read and everything else that I needed. And the _food_ \- my god, I've never eaten anything so delicious before. They've given me some kind of potions, too, to make me gain my normal weight back faster, and these potions did an amazing job. I've been there for just a month but looked almost like a normal, healthy girl by then.

The girls that work there have also taken care of my appearance - they've done hair treatments, facial masks, manicure and pedicure... I've been feeling as if I'd been in some kind of luxury spa. Seriously, I've almost been ashamed for being treated so well; I haven't felt like deserving anything like that. But the healers have told me that it was important for me to feel comfortable in my own body again and I must admit, it felt  _amazing_. I've enjoyed every second of it.

When I was alone, I spent my time reading the books they had given me, and I learnt everything I could about Asgard and the nine realms. I was stunned to find out that Loki was a god - the revelation has increased my fear of him immensely.

But I hadn't seen him since our arrival in Asgard. The fear of having to leave the healer's rooms one day to serve Loki used to be the only dark cloud in my perfect blue sky. I had tried talking about Loki and what he was planning to do to me with the healers a couple of times, but they wouldn't say much about him. After a while I had decided to just not think about what was about to happen to me in the future and just enjoy the present moment instead.

Even the nightmares that had been returning to me whenever I had closed my eyes - memories of the slave market and the guards, of my family back on earth and how we had been separated - became less devastating after a while.

I had finally started to feel like myself again, and I've been growing stronger every day.

And then, one day, Navah came into my room with this serious expression on her face. I liked Navah, she has done so much for me and I've started to trust her. She almost felt like a friend by then. But when she told me that I was to be released and would be brought into Loki's rooms, I felt myself falling apart immediately.

Navah did everything she could to soothe me and I gave my best to put on a brave face - there was nothing she or I could do against it anyways. She told me to bathe and get dressed and prepared for the prince, and I did as she told me. I took as much time as I could, but at some point I couldn't stall it anymore, and I hugged Navah and the other girls and left the healer's rooms with a guard by my side and tears in my eyes.

When I was left alone in Loki's rooms to wait for him, I was too nervous to sit down and do nothing. I walked through his rooms - it was more of a luxury suite, really - and when I passed a mirror, I saw a little smile appear on my face.

I remember how horrified I had been when I had looked into a mirror almost four weeks ago to see a pale skeleton covered in bruises in it, a walking dead girl with dull, entangled hair and big frightened eyes with dark shadows underneath them.

But now I looked a lot healthier. The girls at the healer's rooms had somehow managed to save my damaged hair and now I could see long, shiny waves of brown hair frame a face with rosy, fresh skin. I had no idea what kind of magic these girls put in their creams, but they could make a fortune with them on earth.

I was wearing a really beautiful green dress that Navah had given me, and even though I used to be the jeans-and-shirt-wearing type of girl, I must admit that it looked good on me. It was just a litte bit too short in my opinion.

Stepping out on the balcony, I admired the view for a while until I suddenly heard the door open. I whirled around in shock and walked back inside to find Loki staring at me with widened eyes.

"My, my", he said, clearly surprised, "Look at you. And here I was assuming you had died."

I furrowed my brows. He had assumed I had died?

"Well, I haven't", I answered, trying hard to not let my voice tremble, "I'm very much alive."

He smiled, taking a step towards me. "Indeed. I almost did not recognize you, my dear. How wonderful it is to finally hear your voice."

I didn't know what to say. His hungry eyes seemed to devour me and I felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Your name is Layla?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Yes."

"Do you remember my name?"

"Yes."

"Well, say it."

I frowned. "Loki?"

Hearing his name made him smile, and he nodded. "You will not call me Loki, though", he said then, "That would not be appropriate. You will address me by my proper title, of course. You will address me as 'My prince', 'Your Highness', 'My lord' or 'Master'. Is that clear?"

I nodded, trying very hard to not let him see what I thought of his ridiculous request.

He grinned cockily and then added "I am certain that you will find yourself in situations in which you will want to call me a god, which is also allowed."

I bit my lips and remained silent.

"Very well, my sweet mortal", he said and came closer, "Considering your impressing recovery, I believe it to be about time for you to begin to fulfill your duties."

I flinched -- I knew very well what he was referring to. He smiled at my reaction.

"The guard at the market was right, then, was he not? You really are a maiden?"

I found myself shivering at the memory of the guard's touch and gritted my teeth while I nodded. Loki's eyes glistened.

"That is about to change, little slave girl."

"I have a name!" I blurted out and bit my tongue a second later. It wasn't very wise to provoke the guy, the _god_ , who had just threatened to take your virginity against your will.

"Oh yes, you do", Loki said softly, "But since you are mine and to do with as I wish, you will not only be used for whatever I find appropriate but also be called whatever name I find appropriate."

I shot him a hateful glare. I didn't know at what point it had happened, but I felt more anger than fear now, and I didn't want to submit freely to a man who was openly threatening me with rape.

Loki furrowed his brows. "Why do I sense so much hate in you? I have been nothing but kind to you."

I stared at him, my eyes wide with disbelief. "You just threatened to rape me!"

He shrugged casually. "You are my pleasure slave, what else would I do with you?"

"I am not just somebody's pleasure slave", I snapped at him, "I am a human being, just like -"

He raised an eyebrow and seemed highly amused; I could see a grin playing at the corners of his lips.

"Well, fine", I quickly corrected myself, "I am a _person with feelings_ just like you! How would you feel if you were chained up, thrown into a cage and then sold to somebody who plans to rape you?"

He actually laughed out. "I would enjoy to see anyone try."

I felt desperate tears welling up in my eyes when I realized that he didn't take me seriously at all. My life, my fear, I as a person meant nothing to him. I was only a thing in his possession for him to use as he wished.

"There is one thing you need to understand, my mortal maiden", Loki then said with a more serious face, "You, my dear, are a slave, whether you like it or not. You are nobody, nothing in this world. But you should at least show some gratitude for being in my possession now. Have I not treated you with respect so far?"

"Respect? You've made me strip naked at the market! You've made this guard violate me! You -"

He shook his head. "Violate you? You mean the short examination? That was nothi-"

"It wasn't nothing!" I yelled out, but immediately fell silent when Loki suddenly grabbed my throat and pushed me against the wall in one quick movement.

"Do not dare to yell at me, ever again", he said with a deep, sinister voice, and he was so close to me that I could feel his breath on my skin. "I am your master. I am a prince. I am a god. And I am not yelled at."

His hand squeezed my throat tightly and I gasped for air. My hands clutched at his, trying to loosen his grip, but he didn't even seem to notice my efforts. He pushed himself against my body and I was trapped between him and the cold wall behind me.

"Is that understood?"

I tried to say something but couldn't, and maybe that was for the best - because as frightened as I was, I still felt too much anger to simply give in.

"Nod or shake your head, slave girl. And before you do so, be sure you can live with the consequences of your chosen answer."

With his other hand he grasped my hands that were still trying to fight against his fingers around my throat. He pushed my wrists above my head and held them there with one hand while the other one still clenched my throat. I looked at him pleadingly and tried to beg him to let go of me, but I couldn't make a sound. I was seriously starting to fear for my life.

He locked eyes with me and pressed himself even closer into my body, and to my utter dismay I could feel a growing hardness between his legs.

Eventually, I closed my eyes and nodded quickly, desperate to get rid of his touch and even more so for a little air. But he didn't let go.

"Oh, fear suits you, my little mortal", he chuckled darkly and lowered his head to press his lips softly against my neck. I flinched but couldn't move the slightest bit. When the lack of air finally started to make me dizzy, I began to wriggle against him, and he growled.

"I do love to feel a woman writhe underneath me... it only arouses me more, little one."

As if to prove his arousal, I felt his lips on mine, his tongue forcing them to open up for him, and then he suddenly let go of my throat. I gasped and inhaled the air from his mouth while my knees became so weak that the only reason I was still standing upright was his strong body that forced me to stay where I was. While I had breathed in the air he had given me, he had continued to kiss me passionately. When my fast breathing slowly calmed down, he tilted his head back and grinned at me.

"Repeat what you have just learned."

I swallowed.

He smiled and licked his lips. "Do you care about your ability to breathe, little one?"

"I will not yell at you", I whispered quickly.

He smiled and let his finger trail lightly over my face and down my neck. "And why is that?"

I hesitated. "Because you are... my master?"

"Very good", Loki purred, and his fingers wandered over my collarbone. I shuddered.

"You are trembling, my pet. Tell me, are you frightened?"

I felt his hands caress my breasts and was forever grateful for the dress between his fingers and my naked skin.

"Yes", I whispered and avoided his gaze. I hated him for forcing me to admit how scared I was of him.

"That pleases me", he whispered and pressed his lips on my neck again.

I could feel his warm breath on my skin. When his hands reached my hips and one of them slipped underneath my short dress to wander over my naked thighs, I stiffened. He chuckled lightly and let his fingers wander over my hips. I tried instinctively to back away, but there was no escape from his touch. When his fingers stroked over my panties, I flinched.

"No, please, please don't", I whispered, and I felt tears running down my cheeks.

The god moaned as if he enjoyed my pleading, and he started to suck on my neck while fondling the part of me that was still hidden underneath the fabric of my panties. When he slipped a finger underneath my briefs and I suddenly felt him touching my naked womanhood, I snapped.

I screamed out and pushed my hands against his chest to shove him away with all my power. Of course it didn't do much to him, but at least he finally took his mouth and his hands off of me. I was panting heavily, my whole body was trembling and I didn't dare to meet Loki's eyes.

To my surprise, he began to chuckle quietly. "I do appreciate a woman that tries to take a stand against me. It make this whole experience so much more exciting." He took a step back. "I was under the impression, however, that there was a lesson you had learned just a few minutes ago. Would you repeat it for me, my dear?"

I lifted my gaze to look at him. "I'm not allowed to yell at you", I murmured.

"Precisely. What did you just do, though?"

"I yelled at you", I whispered tonelessly.

"Precisely", Loki repeated, smirking.

I noticed that the huge bulge in his leather pants was growing even more, and I quickly looked back at his face before he could catch me staring.

"I cannot help myself, slave girl - I believe you are in desperate need of an attitude adjustment."

He began to open his belt very slowly, then grinned at me.

"Kneel, my little mortal. Kneel before your master."

 

 


	5. You Can And You Will

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Shameless smut with absolutely no consent at all - you have been warned.  
> I had a hard time writing this in a specific point of view, so I switched to a 3rd person POV. Sorry if switching between the different POVs is confusing.  
> I hope you like it!

_"Kneel, my little mortal. Kneel before your master."_

Layla pressed her back against the wall. There was no way she would kneel down before this man. Loki was holding the leather belt in his hands and watched the girl patiently.

"Do not make me punish you twice, little one, I am not sure you would survive it, and it would be most inconvenient if I killed you now that my healers have done everything they could to ensure that you survive."

Layla shook her head. "I'd rather die than let you abuse me", she heard herself say and wondered briefly where her sudden courage had come from.

Loki threw his head back and laughed. "I must admit that I admire your boldness - but be assured that I will have my way with you either way. I do appreciate a struggling woman underneath me, but I have no qualms about obtaining satisfaction from your lifeless body, either."

The girl stared at him in shock. His words made her stomach churn. This man was even sicker than she had thought.

Loki looked down to unzip his pants, and in a split second, Layla made the decision to take advantage of his distraction and do what she should have done from the beginning: she ran. She didn't even think about it, she didn't have a plan, she simply followed her instincts and these instincts told her to get away from this monster, _now._

At the very moment that she reached the door, she was yanked back by something that captured her throat from behind. It had a firm grip but felt smooth at the same time and it took her a second to realize that it was Loki's leather belt that he had thrown around her throat like a collar.

"Did you really think you could run from me? A mere mortal escaping a god, how promising does that sound to you?" he whispered into the girl's ear from behind, his voice soft and tender but with an undeniably threatening undertone. He pushed Layla against the door and pressed his body flush against hers, letting her feel his hardened manhood again.

Layla grabbed the belt with both hands, trying to loosen it, but there was nothing she could do. For the second time now she found herself struggling for air. She tried to stretch out her arms to reach the god behind her and suddenly felt him pull her hands upwards and slam them at the door. The girl was terrified when she realized that her hands were staying at the sides of her head where Loki had put them even after he had let got of them, as if they were chained to the door with invisible shackles. When she glanced up she could see green light shining around them.

 _That's it_ , she thought,  _He is inhumanly fast, overwhelmingly strong and obviously capable of magic. I have no chance. So just do it now, you bastard. Just kill me and get it over with_.

As if he could read her mind, he chuckled quietly. "Oh, I will not kill you, sweet one. You are much too entertaining to be murdered so quickly."

He loosened the belt's grip - only a little, but enough for Layla to gasp for air. She was so relieved to be inhaling fresh air that it took her a few seconds to notice that the prince's hand had slipped underneath her dress again. She stiffened, but the leather belt around her throat was threatening enough to keep her from struggling.

Loki's soft hand wandered over Layla's hips and her waist until it finally found her breasts, and Layla whimpered when his fingers touched her nipples. Loki moaned and pressed his hips against her backside. He rubbed her nipple between his fingers and Layla was mortified when she felt it harden underneath his touch. Of course Loki noticed her reaction in an instant.

"You seem to like that, my mortal maiden, don't you?" he groaned, and Layla shook her head as good as possible with the belt still around her throat. Loki pinched her nipple painfully and she felt his soft lips on her ear. "Do not lie to the god of lies."

His lips trailed down her neck and shoulders and Layla closed her eyes when she felt shivers run down her body, shivers that were not only caused by fear. When Loki's hand hovered over the waistband of her briefs, her breathing hitched.

"Excited, are we?" Loki murmured into her ear, his voice hoarse from desire and lust, and Layla shook her head again. He laughed softly. "I told you not to lie."

"I - don't lie", she gasped out, "I don't - want - this."

Lokis hand slipped down to cup her womanhood. "Not? But you are so wet for your master", he gloated, and Layla let out a sob when she realized that he was right.

 _She didn't want this._ She didn't want him to touch her and she certainly didn't want to respond to his touch. She felt betrayed by her own body.

Lokis finger circled over her clit and Layla felt a familiar tension build up deep inside of her. When he slowly pushed a finger into her core, she tensed up.

"Please stop", she whimpered and heard him groan in response.

"You're so tight, my little one", he moaned against her ear, "Just imagine how you are going to feel with my big cock inside of you."

Layla cried out in fear and tried to wriggle herself out of Loki's grip, but the movement against his body only seemed to arouse him more and he pushed his finger deeper inside of her.

"Tell me, has anyone touched you like this before?"

Layla shook her head. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"Say it."

"Nobody - nobody has touched me - there - before."

Loki suckled on the girl's neck and pushed a second finger inside of her, then started to pull them out and push them back in again, slowly - almost gently. Layla cringed when his long fingers touched a spot deep inside of her. When he tightened the belt around her throat again, she whimper fearfully.

"Tell me who you belong to. Tell me who the only man is that will ever touch you. Tell me what your body wants from me. If I like what I hear, I might allow you to breathe again."

Layla had given up her resistance the very moment that he had cut off her air again. If she had to say those things to survive, so be it. There were still tears trickling down her cheeks when she said what Loki wanted to hear, her voice rough from the pressure the belt had on her throat.

"I - I am yours. You are my - master, and - and my body is yours alone - you are the only one to touch it", she sobbed out. She could barely breathe with the tight grip around her throat.

"Go on", Loki hissed, "Tell me you want me! Beg me to take you!"

Layla closed her eyes and gathered every bit of strength she still had before she pressed out her next words. "I - I want you to - take me."

Loki groaned approvingly. "Say that again!", he demanded, and Layla shuddered at the yearning sound of his chesty voice, "Let me hear you beg for me!"

"I want you - to take me", she repeated desperately, her head getting blurry from the lack of air, "Please - please take me - I'm begging you - Your Highness, please take me - take me here and now!"

Loki moaned loudly and finally let go of the belt that fell onto the ground with a loud noise. Layla gasped for air, but the prince didn't give her much time before he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him. He pressed his firm body flush against her front for a few seconds before he grabbed her hair and forced her to kneel down in front of him. It wasn't until this moment that Layla realized he had gotten rid of his pants.

The girl's eyes widened in fear and shock when she stared at his length for the first time. It wasn't only much longer than she had feared when she had felt him through his pants, but he was incredibly thick, too.

" _There is no way that thing could ever fit inside of me_ ", she thought, panic taking over her. Glancing up at Loki, she saw the ravenous lust in his eyes and she knew instantly that she could not expect mercy from him. He would force her to take him and there was nothing she could do against it.

Loki smiled deviously when he saw the defeat in the woman's eyes. He had loved every second of her torment and struggle, but now he couldn't wait anymore. He was as hard as a rock and desperate for her touch. Still grinning, he yanked her head forward.

"Go ahead, slave girl. Take me before I take you."

Layla had never done anything like this before, and she was not only scared to death but also incredibly insecure that she could do anything wrong and anger her torturer. She took his cock in her hands and stroked it reluctantly, making him moan. Then she looked up at him, not sure what exactly he wanted her to do.

Loki returned her gaze impatiently. He wasn't in the mood to play anymore, he needed his release. When the girl still didn't do anything, he rolled his eyes, then brutally grabbed her long hair, making her cry out in pain, and yanked her head against his crotch. Layla yelped when his cock touched her face.

"Open your mouth, slut!"

Layla was too scared to object and did as he ordered, and in a quick move he shoved his length inside of her mouth. She tried to back away, but Loki wouldn't allow it.

 _Enough foreplay_ , he thought as he withdrew his cock a bit and pushed it down her throat deep enough to make Layla gag.

"Oh yes", Loki groaned, "Take all of me, little mortal!"

Layla kept her eyes shut tightly. She tried to act as if she wasn't here, as if nothing of this happened, as if she didn't have this monster's cock in her mouth - but Loki didn't approve of her coping strategy.

"Look at me", he ordered, "Look at me while I'm choking you with my cock!"

Laylas eyes flew open. She forced herself to lock eyes with him, and Loki growled with ecstasy.

Looking into these big, frightened, tear-filled eyes that begged for mercy while he forced his thick member deep into the helpless maiden's mouth aroused him to no end. She was completely and utterly at his mercy, and she knew it. He could just kill her in this very moment and there was nothing she could do against it. Loki moaned with satisfaction at the thought.

He forced his cock even deeper into her throat, burying himself to the hilt inside of her, and the sound of her helpless choking stirred him even more. When he withdrew slowly, she backed away as far as she could with his hands still having a firm grip of her hair, and gasped while sobbing uncontrollably.

Loki watched her, both amused and aroused by her reaction, and positioned himself in front of her mouth again.

"No, please, no more", Layla cried out, "Please, I can't -"

"Oh, but you can, darling", Loki said with a devilish grin, "and you will." He slid back into her mouth and started to thrust in and out of her. "Your pleading is music in my ears - I shall enjoy more of it as soon as your mouth is free to do so; when you are lying underneath me, squirming and writhing and begging me to stop while I split you in two when I take your virginity!"

Layla's eyes widened even more than before at his words and Loki slammed into her mouth as deep as he could. When she let out a weak smothered cry while grabbing his hips with her trembling fingers, Loki finally let out a deep groan and came deep inside of her throat. He forced her to keep her head in place to give her a few more lazy thrusts, relishing in his release, until he finally stilled his movements.

"You will swallow it", he ordered, "You will swallow all of me, my little slave girl."

Still holding her by her hair, Loki made her tilt her head back slightly and withdrew with a satisfied moan.

Layla didn't even have the strength to fight anymore. She looked away from the man that towered over her and forced herself to swallow his seed. Loki let out a pleased sigh and finally let go of Layla's hair, causing her to break down right in front of him. She slumped to the ground, curled up with her arms over her knees and her head bowed down, and started weeping bitterly.

She had never felt so ashamed in her life. So embarrassed. So disgusting. Loki's taste still lingered on her tongue, her lips, and she could feel and smell him everywhere.

A few hours ago she wouldn't have thought it possible, but at this very moment she wished to be back at the slave market. She would be hungry there, and cold and alone, and she might be beaten from time to time, but at least nothing like this would have happened to her.

Loki admired the sight of his mortal. She looked even more tempting to him with her tousled hair and her tear-stained face. Seeing her on the ground, crying in utter despair, made him feel a slight hint of remorse for his actions - but it also made his cock twitch. She was still a virgin, after all, she was _his_ virgin, and this had been nothing but a foretaste of what was to come.

"Layla?" he said, and Layla, surprised to hear him call her by her name, looked up.

"Come here", he said softly, and Layla shook her head anxiously.

"Come here", he repeated, louder this time, and Layla braced herself and stood up. Her legs were trembling, her throat and head hurt and all that she wanted to do was sleep and forget this day. She made a few hesitant steps towards Loki and he smiled at her. "You did that very well, little one. I shall reward you generously for it."

Layla looked into his green eyes that sparkled with mischief. She was torn between relief and suspicion.

"You asked me to do something a few minutes ago, and I decided that your wish deserves to be fulfilled."

Layla furrowed her eyebrows. All that she had asked him over and over again was to stop torturing her, leave her alone and let her go. Her eyes widened in amazement. Could he really mean it? Would he let her go?

Loki cupped her face and smiled at her. "Do you still want me to satisfy your wish?"

Layla, too distracted by everything she had just been through, didn't notice the expression in the trickster's face. She nodded quickly, her tear-dimmed eyes shining with hopeful excitement, and blundered out "Yes, yes, please!"

Loki's smile widened. He grasped Layla's waist and pulled her closer, and then he looked deep into her eyes.

"So be it. I shall, as you have begged me to, take you here and now."


	6. A Cruel, Heartless Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for every single comment, subscription and kudos, I'm really thrilled everytime I get any kind of feedback!
> 
> Before I post this chapter, there's one thing I wanted to get straight, because I did and will write very explicitly about rape in this story. I do, of course, absolutely not approve of any kind of rape. It is one of the worst crimes that one can commit against another. This is only a fictional story playing with certain fantasies.  
> I feel a little twisted writing this kind of stuff, that's why I wanted to clarify that.  
> If you don't feel comfortable with these things, please don't read it.  
> Everybody else; I hope you enjoy the new chapter. And don't worry, it will all come back to Loki one day!

Layla's smile vanished slowly and it took her a few seconds to process Loki's words. When the realization finally hit her; when she finally understood what he had just done to her, her eyes widened.

"You are a monster", she whispered tonelessly, "A cruel, heartless monster."

Loki grinned coldly. "That is most certainly an accurate way to describe me, my dear. Now take off your clothes."

Layla tried to back away, but Loki's firm grip on her hips didn't allow it.

"I have had enough of your pathetic resistance. Take off your clothes, now."

Layla looked him straight in the eyes. "No."

Loki returned her gaze, both surprised and slightly annoyed. "No? That is your answer to your master's order, _no_?"

"Precisely", Layla said, mocking Loki's previous choice of words, and he narrowed his eyes at her audacity.

"Fine", he snapped, "As you wish."  
  
With one quick movement he ripped her dress off of her body, leaving her standing before him in nothing but her silk briefs, and before she even had the chance to react to her sudden nakedness, Loki had gripped her arm, dragged her through the room and shoved her onto the soft mattress of his huge bed. Layla landed on her stomach and quickly turned around to face her torturer while shuffling away from him as far as possible. Loki grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him, a devilish smile on his face.

His clothes suddenly vanished when he knelt down on the bed and bent over her, pressing her into the sheets with his weight. With one hand he tore her briefs to shreds and took a second to admire the beauty of her naked body before he started to caress her womanhood.

Layla kept struggling, even though she knew it was in vain - but if there was one thing she was determined to do, it was to at least make it as hard as possible for her tormentor to break her.

"Oh, I do love to feel your beautiful body wriggle and writhe underneath me", Loki growled into her ear with this deep voice that made her shiver.

When she tried to scratch him, he grabbed her wrists in one hand and pushed them above her head while squeezing her breasts with the other one. He forced himself between her legs, and she screamed "NO!" with a voice so full of loathing that Loki actually halted his movements for a second. Then he chuckled lowly.

"Oh yes", he crooned and bent down to press his lips against hers. His tongue captured hers passionately and Layla, distracted by the deep kiss, didn't even realize that Loki's firm body had forced her to spread her legs for him. It wasn't until she suddenly felt the tip of his cock nudge her entrance that she jerked underneath him.

She arched her back to shove him off of her, she tried to escape his kiss by turning her head, she fought the grip he had on her wrists, but Loki didn't even seem to notice her efforts.

When his cock eventually parted her lips and she felt him enter her core, she bit him.

He let go of her immediately.

With wide eyes, Loki stared at the mortal before him. She seized the opportunity and quickly sat up, pulling her legs to her body and pressing her back against the wall behind her.

Loki's hand ran over his lip, and when he looked down on it to see a drop of blood, he narrowed his eyes at the girl. She returned his gaze carefully, obviously scared to death of what would happen now.

"You bit me." Loki stated matter-of-factly.

She swallowed. "I'm - sorry", she said feebly, and he huffed.

"I had planned to be gentle with you, slave, considering that this is your first time. But now..."

Layla shook her head desperately. "Please, your Majesty, don't - don't do that - you - you are a good man, I saw good in you when we were in the carriage; you took me to the healers, you -"

"Yes, I was good to you", Loki agreed calmly, still staring at her with obvious disbelief, "And look where it got me." He raised his hand, showing her the blood on it, and she looked at it, terrified. "That's it, mortal. You are going to get exactly what you deserve now."

"No, please, I didn't mean to - I was - please, Loki -"

When Loki heard her say his name, he raised his hand and slapped her across the face with such strength that her head flew back. "Did I allow you to use my name?" he hissed, and she cried out when he hit her again. "How do you address me, wench?"

Layla sobbed out. Her cheek was aching badly and the expression on the god's face was scarier than ever. Loki raised his hand again, but before he could hit her, Layla cried out "Your Majesty! Your Highness, my prince, my Lord, Master!"

"Good girl", Loki said, "Do not disobey again or you will regret it."

He grabbed her leg and pulled her underneath him again, and for a second, Layla was too scared to fight him. But when he pushed her legs apart and positioned himself at her entrance again, the fear of being taken against her will outweighed everything else.

She flinched when she felt his enormous erection spread her lips apart and tried to pull away from it. Loki's hand gripped her throat roughly and he looked deep into her frightened eyes.

"I will take you now, and I will take you as violently as I like. You are mine, mine alone, and if I chose to fuck you to death right here and now, so be it."

With these words he pushed into her, slowly, deliberately, his eyes still locked with hers so he could watch every single second of her torment.

Layla yelped when she felt him shove his length into her, slowly, yet forcefully and painfully, and she tried to wriggle out from underneath him, but his body pushed her into the mattress without any mercy. She clenched her fingers around his strong, muscular arms, her fingernails digging into his flesh, and his grip around her throat tightened even more. He held her down, almost cutting off her airflow again, and she coughed out while he kept forcing himself deeper into her. Her coughing soon turned into a cry when she felt him push his cock even further into her core, and she closed her eyes in desperation.

"Look at me while I take you", Loki ordered sharply, and she didn't dare to disobey.

She looked into his eyes, dark and shiny with desire, and when she felt a fresh wave of tears running down her cheeks, a pleased smile appeared on his face.

"Does it hurt?" he asked gloatingly, and she nodded, her eyes wide with fear.

"I am not even halfway in", he smirked, and Layla sobbed out again.

Loki pressed a soft kiss on her lips, then looked into her eyes again, and when Layla saw a malicious glint inside of them, she knew what was about to happen.  
And she was right.  
  
With one hard thrust Loki buried himself completely in the maiden's core. While he was moaning loudly, Layla screamed out in pain. He chuckled gleefully before he withdrew himself only to slam back in with all his strength.

Layla wailed, her body jerking underneath of Loki. The sound of her own, desperate screaming hurt her ears, but she couldn't stop, the pain was overwhelming. It felt as if he split her in two.

Loki thrusted brutally in and out of Layla's body, relishing in the mortal girl's screaming and wailing. For a split second he thought that she had become wet after all, but when he realised that it was the girl's blood that his cock was covered in, it aroused him even more. He groaned, never taking his eyes off of her face that was distorted in pain.

"Oh, my little mortal, you are so tight", he moaned and slowly pulled out of her. He waited a few seconds, just long enough for Layla to begin to hope that it was over, and when he could see the faint hint of hope in her eyes, he rammed his cock back in and buried himself to the hilt in her throbbing flesh again, pounding into her with all his strength over and over again.

Layla cried out, his brutal movements inside of her already sore tunnel were almost unbearable, and then, just when she thought that she couldn't take any more, everything went black and she sank into a blissful, peaceful silence.

But it didn't last long.

When Loki saw her eyes close and felt her body go limp, he thought that she had just given up her miserable struggle against him, but when he realized that she had actually passed out, he snapped.

"WAKE UP!" he shouted furiously, each word accompanied by a deep thrust, and when she didn't react, he slapped her sharply. Layla's eyes fluttered and she moaned in confusion.

"I am not done with you, mortal wench", he breathed out, and when Layla's eyes flew open and she realised what was happening, she began to sob.

Loki chuckled darkly. "You are not allowed to pass out yet, my sweet."

His hands trailed over her breasts and pinched her nipples, then wandered over her waist until they grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to him, impaling her with his length. He hammered into her at a merciless pace and started to pant when he felt his climax near.

Layla had given up. She didn't struggle anymore, she didn't beg him anymore. She stared at him blankly, let him do whatever it was that he wanted to do, and simply waited for it to be over.

Loki was rather pleased with her behaviour. He had enjoyed her struggle, oh yes, he had _loved_ it, but seeing her lying underneath him, completely submitting herself to him, beautifully broken by his hands, satisfied his lust even more.

He moaned loudly when he watched silent tears spill down her face, and he kissed her lips again, never ceasing to pound into her wounded core.

"You are so beautiful when you're crying for me, little one", he whispered and stroked over her hair almost lovingly.

"You are mine, mine alone", he said hoarsely, and when he buried his length inside of her again, he groaned loudly and spilled his seed deep inside of her body. He moaned, relishing in his ecstatic high, still thrusting in and out of the motionless body until he finally halted in his movements.

He stayed on top of Layla, still buried deep inside of her, enjoying the feeling of her throbbing canal clenching around him. When he collapsed on her, he started planting soft kisses on her naked skin. Eventually, he pulled out of her, admiring the view of his length that was smeared in both her blood and his seed for a moment until he sighed and fell down beside Layla.

It took the girl a few seconds to realize that it was over. She still didn't move. Why should she, anyways? She had nowhere to go and nothing to do.

Loki reached out for her and pulled her flush against his body. He held her tightly in his arms, stroking her hair softly, and smiled when she pressed her wet face into his chest.

"Mine alone", he repeated gently and kissed her head.


	7. Look At Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut this time; Layla has to deal with the incidents of last night first.  
> I hope you like it. As always, I appreciate feedback!

As much as Loki found satisfaction in the joy and passion of the carnal lusts, he also enjoyed the peaceful moments of silence that followed it.

Layla's head was lying on top of his bare chest where he was holding her tightly, yet gently in his strong arms. He could feel her breathe unevenly and hear her still fastened heartbeat. He could also feel every single one of her tears drip on his chest. She was lying completely still.

After a moment, he raised a hand to wipe away her tears. She winced at his touch.

"Hush, my little mortal", he whispered, "Don't be afraid."

Carefully, he brushed his fingers against her cheeks that were wet from her tears, tucked a stray curl behind her ear and sighed. He felt so relaxed, so at ease, so calm, and he decided to let the girl sleep in his bed tonight. It wasn't often that he allowed a woman to stay in his bed once he was done with them, but he enjoyed the warmth of the little one's body too much to let her go yet. He pressed another kiss on top of her head and, still caressing her face gently, slowly drifted away in a deep and peaceful sleep.

Layla, on the other hand, was wide awake, and she was far from feeling relaxed.

Her body was a war zone, and she felt nothing but pain. Her head, her throat, her face, her arms and legs, her back, her chest - it all hurt. But all of it was nothing compared to the agony she felt between her legs. It felt as if he had ripped her open. _Well_ , she thought absent-mindedly, _maybe he had_. Maybe he had maimed her severely, maybe she wouldn't even survive it. She found herself somehow wishing for it.

Never had she ever felt like this before. Not when she had been taken from her home against her will, not when she had been forced to live in a cage for months, not when she had been beaten and humiliated over and over again. She was numb, empty, she almost felt like she was dead. _Maybe I am_ , she thought indifferently, _maybe something inside of me has just died and my body is about to follow._

If he would attempt to kill her now, she thought, she wouldn't even try to fight him. She would gratefully close her eyes and happily welcome death.

When Loki's hand finally stopped caressing her cheeks and Layla felt his breath even out, she realized that he had fallen asleep. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace, to slowly and carefully move away from him, but the sleeping god unconciously pulled her even closer to his body. She hissed in pain when his arm touched a painful bruise on her throat.

Eventually, she gave up. She stayed where she was, captured inside of the devil's embrace, and gazed into the darkness while her tears were still falling down on the naked skin of the man she despised.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Layla woke up from a low chuckle that immediately sent shivers down her spine. When she opened her eyes and stared into a pair of green ones, the memories of last night washed over her like a breaking wave. She flinched and tried to sit up, but only whimpered in pain instead.

She had never suffered such pain before. Her body seemed to be bruised both on the inside and outside, and every movement she made hurt so badly that she felt like sceaming out.

"You look even more beautiful now that you are marked as mine", Loki said, hungrily gazing on her battered body.

Layla felt panic rise inside of her - he could not possibly want to take her again now?

"Calm down", the god said in an amused tone, "I do not have the time to ravish you this morning. I regret it bitterly, my dear, but I have other responsibilities to take care of before I can take _you_ again."

He rose from the bed and offered her a hand. "Come, little one, let us take a bath."

When Layla didn't react, he lowered his voice warningly. "You do not wish to make me angry now, do you?"

She swallowed and took his hand hesitantly. Loki pulled her up in a swift movement that caused Layla to scream out. The quick and sudden move had sent surges of pain through her entire body, and for a moment, everything went black before her eyes.

"Oh dear", she heard Loki say from far away, and a split second later, she could feel his strong arms around her waist.

As soon as she felt more secure, she struggled to get away from him. He let go of her, only leaving a hand on her back to support her, but she quickly shook it off and took one slow step after the other, whimpering every now and then when she couldn't suppress it anymore.

Loki watched the mortal girl with narrowed eyes as she was walking towards the bathroom door on shaky legs, obviously close to breaking down the entire time. As much as he admired the view of her battered body,  knowing that it had been his very own hands that had marked her with every single green and purple mark and every bloodstain - but he couldn't help himself; he also felt pity for her. Could she really be in such a bad condition? He hadn't intended to severely hurt her - he had planned to keep her a little longer, after all.

When Layla stumbled against the doorframe of the bathroom, she whimpered pathetically, and before she could fall down, Loki hurried over and caught her just in time. He lifted her up in his arms, gently petting her hair, and against all reason, even against her own will; out of pure desperation for any kind of solace, Layla put her arms around his neck, pressed her face against his naked chest and began to weep bitterly in his arms.

Loki was completely taken aback by her reaction. He hadn't expected her to search for comfort in his arms and was slightly overchallenged with her weeping.

"Shh, shh", he said, feeling uneasy with her overwhelming sorrow, and carried her back into his bed where he sat down with her still clinging to him. "It's alright", he soothed her, "calm down, my little one."

He stroked her hair, kissed her forehead gently and rocked her back and forth, just like his mother had done with him when he had been a little kid.

They were sitting like this for a while until Loki could finally feel how the girl was slowly coming back to her senses. When she realized that the prince had carried her back into his bed, she stiffened. Loki felt her tense up and understood immediately.

"Don't be scared, my sweet", he hushed, "I will not hurt you. It is alright, you are safe."

He hesitated for a second, then asked carefully, "Did I really hurt you so badly?"

Layla didn't answer him.

Loki ignored the slight hint of anger he felt at her disrespect and pressed his hand against her chest, making her flinch in anticipation of whatever cruel intention he had with her now. She looked up to him with frightened eyes, but all that he did was close his eyes and let his fingers trail over her skin. Layla suddenly remembered that he had done something similar in the carriage a few weeks ago.

When he opened his eyes again, she could have sworn to see a hint of guilt inside of them for a moment, but when he blinked, it was gone - if it had ever been there, that was.

"You are indeed wounded more than I had thought or planned", he admitted, "I assume I have been a little rough, considering the fragility of your race."

Layla bit into her tongue. Was this supposed to be an apology? If so, it must have been the worst one she had ever heard, not that there _was_ any kind of apology she would have accepted. She suddenly felt ashamed for her behaviour - she had cuddled up into the arms of her abuser, she had cried into the chest of her rapist, she had let him of all people give her comfort.

Shaking off his hands, she wriggled to free herself from his hold and he let her go, eyeing her carefully. She began walking towards the bathroom with slow steps again, ignoring the god who she knew was watching her every movement.

Layla was longing for a bath. At this moment, there was nothing she wanted more than to finally wash this monster off of her body, to finally get rid of his smell and his - she swallowed at the thought - his liquids. His sweat, his _seed_. She was defiled, contaminated, and she couldn't stand the thought of him lingering on her skin for one more second. She also hoped that the warm water would help her body to relax a bit.

When she suddenly felt him touch her shoulder from behind, she jerked.

"Don't you touch me", she hissed, and Loki frowned.

He had meant to help her get into the bathroom, he had planned to run a bath for her and by the norns, he had even considered to apologize for his roughness. But her inappropriate outburst of rage had taught him better, and his face hardened again. She didn't deserve an apology. She was his pleasure slave, after all, and he was her master, and he had certainly done nothing wrong. She better learned where her place was - beneath him, _far_ beneath him.

He waved his hand and was clean and clothed in his leather armour within a second. Then he turned to Layla again.

"As I said before", he said, now with a stern and cold voice, "I have far more important responsibilites to take care of than you. I will leave now. You might not want to do anything you do not wish to face the consequences for."

She didn't react.

"If you want to, you are allowed to go to the healers", Loki added indifferently, "I personally do not care. But be assured that I am going to use you to satisfy my needs either way, whether you are capable to endure it or not."

Layla bit into her lip to keep herself from crying, and she didn't let go until she could taste blood. Loki smiled and took a step towards her, making her flinch, but he was too fast for her to escape him. He lifted her chin and kissed her lips tenderly. As he pulled back, she felt sick when she could see her blood on his lips.

He licked them slowly and smiled at her. "You are delicious, my darling." Then, he let his gaze wander over her body. "You should take a bath, though. You look like a cheap whore."

And with these words, he left.

Layla collapsed, slumping down to the cold floor like a lifeless doll. She didn't know what she had done to deserve this. Loki was a god, wasn't he; what could she possibly have done wrong in her life to deserve being punished like this from a god himself?

She curled up in a ball on the floor and cried until she had no more tears left inside of her.

 

* * *

 

Three hours later, Layla was sitting in one of the chairs in Loki's chambers, uncertain of what to do. After bathing and dressing herself, she had started to feel at least a little bit better than before. She had considered to go to the healer's room, like Loki had suggested, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to face the women working there. They had spent a month together, Layla considered them to be friends, and she was deeply ashamed of what had happened between her and Loki. Did she really want witnesses for her current condition?

She stepped out on the balcony. The view was amazing; this world was undoubtedly incredibly beautiful. How could someone so cruel be its prince?

When Layla thought about his words this morning, she stiffened. He had said that he'd take her again, whether she was still hurt or not. It had been painful enough yesterday; she didn't even want to imagine the agony that would be awaiting her if he raped her when she was still sore from yesterday.

She breathed in deeply to gather her strength before leaving Loki's chambers. There were no guards to see and she was both surprised and somewhat angry to realize that Loki did obviously not expect her to flee.

It took her quite some time to find the healer's room - the palace was incredibly big and her injuries were slowing her down, too. When she arrived, both Navah and Liora, one of the healer's assistants, came to greet her. They both had a big smile on their faces - and they both grew pale when they saw Layla.

"By the norns", Liora whispered.

"So bad, huh?" Layla tried to joke, but her facade broke down when Navah pulled her into her ams. For a moment, she enjoyed the comfort the woman's embrace gave her, but when Navah started to stroke her hair, she flinched. The gesture reminded her of Loki, and all of a sudden, she couldn't stand the feeling of being touched anymore. When she pulled back, Navah let her go, eyeing her up and down.

"I am so sorry", she said quietly.

Liora took Layla's hand. "Me too", she whispered, her light blue eyes filled with tears, "Oh my, that bastard -"

While Layla couldn't help but nod, Navah said something in a foreign language to her blonde assistant that clearly sounded like a warning.

Layla sighed. "He said I was allowed to come here - and that I should get healed before he - he -" She wasn't able to finish the sentence.

Navah nodded slowly and thoughtfully. "The good thing is, unlike severe sicknesses, we are capable to heal injuries very quickly with special herbs and ointments. Your injuries will be gone a few hours after applying them. The wounds the prince has inflicted upon your soul, though..." She gave Layla a sad smile. "I am afraid I have nothing to ease your inner pain."

She led Layla to a sickbed and Layla sat down carefully.

Liora looked at Navah. "I assume we should do beauty treatments, too - the prince is -"

Layla felt a sudden wave of nausea break over her.

"That's why you did all those treatments", she said tonelessly, the realization hitting her just now. "It wasn't out of sympathy or kindness - every single thing you did was only to prepare me for him. It wasn't to make me feel better or to coddle me or something. It was only to make me look nice and pretty for that monster you call your prince."

Liora lowered her gaze and stared at the ground, but Navah returned Layla's look softly. "I am sorry, Layla. Of course we wanted you to feel better, but yes... we had the order to not only heal you, but prepare you to the prince's taste as well."

Layla didn't know why she hadn't thought of that before. She had enjoyed the attention and the treatments so much... Sometimes she had closed her eyes and imagined to be back home, in one of those expensive spas she could never have afforded. If she had known that she was only being prepared for this monster like a pretty little doll for him to play with - she felt tears burning in her eyes.

"To the prince's taste", she repeated slowly, then looked at Navah. "But - did you know - did you know - how he would treat me?"

Navah hesitated, then nodded. "He told me that he wanted you as his - his pleasure slave and I know that he treats his pleasure slaves quite roughly -"

"Look at me!" Layla cried out and rose from the bed, "Do I look like I've been treated _quite roughly_? He abused me, he choked me, he - raped me!" She hadn't said the word out loud until just now, and it made her sob out in desperation. "I was a virgin; did you know that?"

Both Navah's and Liora's eyes widened. They hadn't known. Liora opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Layla continued.

"I was a virgin and he raped me! He raped me so brutally that I passed out! He _fucked me into unconsciousness_ and then he hit me to wake me up again, screaming how he wasn't _finished with me and that I wasn't allowed to pass out yet!_ "

Navah cleared her throat, clearly hit hard by Layla's words. "I am so sorry, Layla. I had hoped he would be more careful since you're a mortal, I told him -"

"Well, he clearly wasn't careful, was he? He even told me how much he enjoyed hurting me!"

Layla breathed heavily. Deep down, she knew that it wasn't really Navah and Liora she was angry at, but this knowledge was buried beneath too much hurt and angst for her to even notice it. The fury and hate that were flowing through her right now were somehow easier to bear than the hollow numbness she had been feeling before.

"Just tell me one thing, Navah" she said, her voice shaking, "If you knew how he treated his victims, why did you even bother to save my life? Why didn't you just have the mercy to let me die? Why did you heal me and cocker me up only to let him destroy me afterwards? What was I to you, a pig you raised for him to slaughter?"

Navah looked alarmed. "Layla, please don't do that. I'm so sorry for everything that he did to you, but please, just let me help you now, let me heal you -"

Layla huffed. "What for? I'll be back tomorrow morning anyways, and the day after tomorrow and the day after that!"

"But you can't stay like this - you're injured and if he wants to take you again tonight -"

"He will, he told me already - but I will not let you heal me for him to have his sick way with me over and over again for the rest of my life! And I will definitely not get _beauty treatments_ to look pretty for him!"

Navah and Liora both opened their mouths to protest, but Layla didn't want to hear it.

"I will not pick up the pieces he has left of me only to be broken by him again. If that means that he's going to fuck me to death, well, let him, I don't care!"

She walked past the two shocked women to leave the room but turned around when she reached the door.

"You know what, that would actually be the best thing that could happen to me."

She left the room as fast as she could and waited until she reached the next corridor. Then, she pressed her forehead against the cold stonewall and burst into helpless tears.


	8. Nowhere To Go

Layla had no idea how she had managed to sneak out of the palace. Maybe she had just been in the right time at the right place. Maybe she had been lucky for once. She didn't know how, but somehow, she had made it.

She had been standing around the corner of the healer's room for what felt like an eternity, leaning against the stone wall and crying to herself. After a while, her head had started to hurt so badly that it felt as if it was about to explode, so she had decided to look for an open window to get a little fresh air - and had found an open door instead. After walking through it, she had suddenly found herself in the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. There were narrow stone paths leading through large beds with hundreds of colourful flowers and exotical plants and trees, and Layla had spotted a couple of lavish golden benches that were lining some of the paths. The gardens had not only been enchantingly beautiful, but empty, too, so Layla had decided to have a little walk - and when she had still not seen a single guard - or any other person, for that matter - around when she had reached the other side of the gardens, she had decided to take the opportunity and run. Or walk, actually, because her sore body wouldn't allow her to do much more than that.

She was scared to death - she expected a guard or, even worse, Loki himself to appear behind her every other second, but to her utter surprise, nobody was coming, and so she just kept walking and walking until she couldn't feel her legs anymore - and even then, she would only allow herself a few minutes of rest until she forced herself back up to keep going. Nothing good could come of this and she knew it - she had nowhere to go, after all, and nobody to turn to; she was a stranger in this world and even if Loki or one of his guards would not find her, somebody else certainly would, and who knew what they would do to her.

 _But whatever it was_ , she thought, _it couldn't be worse than facing Loki again_.

Just when the sun set and it started to get darker around her, she arrived at the edge of a huge forest. The thought of spending the night in there frightened her to no end, but still not nearly as much as a return to the palace did. Loki must have discovered her escape by now, and the mere thought of that made her whole body tense up. Yesterday, he had been cruel and terrifying for no real reason - Layla didn't even want to imagine facing his wrath after an unsuccessful escape. No, there was no going back. She had to keep walking, wherever she might end up.

But Layla was not of Asgard, and she didn't know much about the creatures that were inhabiting its wilds. When she had thought that there could be nothing worse than Loki to find her, she had had no idea of what was lurking in these forests - if she'd had, she might have changed her mind.

She stumbled deeper and deeper into the strange, thick forest - it was frighteningly dark in here, even with the sun still shining down on it, and the large trees that Layla was passing by were none she had ever seen on earth before. Sometimes she thought that she had seen something move in the dark, but she could never catch sight of anything.

Eventually, when a full moon had risen and was lightening the darkness of the forest, she suddenly heard a deep growl behind her. She froze in an instant, her blood was running cold and she could feel her heart hammering painfully fast against her chest as she slowly turned around. And then she found herself standing in front of the most hideous creature she had ever seen or even imagined. It was partly hidden from both the shadows of the night and the thick trees around it, but the biggest part of it was lit up from the bright moonlight, and it was more than enough to make Layla's anxious heart skip a beat.

In lack of a better word she would have described it as a dragon - but it looked far more frightening than anything she had ever seen in movies or books before. It had a pitch black leather-like skin and crimson spikes scattered across its body, paws that looked like an oversized lion's; its dark red batlike wings were stretched out and its open mouth revealed dozens of long, sharp fangs. When it growled again, taking a step towards Layla this time, she screamed.

  
 

* * *

 

  
Loki had had a terrible day. It had started wonderful, though - he had slept peacefully, had awakened with a beautiful woman in his arms and had then enjoyed a great breakfast where he'd been granted the exceptional pleasure of witnessing his brother being reprimanded by Odin himself. And from this glorious moment on, everything had gone down the drain.

Around noon, a few frost giants from Jotunheim had tried to attack Asgard, and they had taken the Asgardians completely by surprise. They hadn't come far before they had been discovered and defeated by the guards, but of course, Asgard needed to react to this deliberate provocation. While Loki and Thor had discussed their different views on an adequate answer, Odin - as inconveniently as always - had fallen into the Odinsleep, which turned Thor into the representative king of Asgard. Thor, of course, had sent an army of warriors to Jotunheim the very second his big butt had touched the throne, and even though they had won against the Jotuns, it had been a more than unpleasant experience and Asgard had suffered countless losses. Laufey, the king of Jotunheim, had promised retribution, too, and this could very well mean that Asgard was about to face a war.

Frigga, who had decided not to leave her husband's side, had not been told about the attack until it had already been too late to stop it, and she had been furious about both of her sons' actions, claiming Loki as the wiser one should have held Thor back somehow.

When the evening came, Loki was more than exasperated. He looked forward to a relaxing evening with his new pleasure slave, and he was not at all amused to find his chambers empty. He hadn't ordered the guards to observe her; he had not expected her to even _think_ of an escape - he had clearly underestimated the mortal girl and that infuriated him even more than the escape itself.

When he went to the healers and Navah told him reluctantly about her earlier conversation with the girl, his anger was slowly replaced with concern. He knew that he had been too hard on the girl, but he had expected her to simply go to Navah and be healed in the evening. Maybe he should have taken her there himself. Now he had to look for a confused mortal girl that could be almost anywhere - his stupid brother had withdrawn every single guards around the palace to join the attack on Jotunheim; meaning that there had been no boundaries at all for the girl. He just hoped that she had not made it far since she was still injured quite severely.

Loki was riding through the gardens and fields of Asgard only a few minutes later, trying his best to think of a place that Layla could have gone to. The longer he was riding through the darkened surroundings of the palace, the worse he started to feel. His anger had long vanished. He was responsible for the girl and he should have taken care of her. He was very well aware that he should never have hurt her so badly in the first place, and the least he could have done was to take the poor girl to the healers so she didn't have to go there all alone. And why in Odin's name didn't he let the guards watch over her, anyways? She had fought him almost the entire time last night, why hadn't he seen her attempt to escape coming? It had been obvious, really.

When he reached the outer forest, he stopped. It was impossible that this little mortal thing had come so far, especially with her injuries and in such a short time, wasn't it? He should have found her by now, he should have found her long ago, actually. He looked around with narrowed eyes, trying to focus on her presence, but he couldn't sense anything. If she had died, though, he would have found her body. She must be alive, but where?

It was at this very moment that he heard a high-pitched scream from deep inside of the forest. Loki spurred his horse and stormed into the forest, following the screams that he knew were Layla's, praying to himself to find her in time.

When he finally reached her, the huge dragon-like creature was towering over the small girl that was holding her arms above her head in defence - had it not been such a serious situation, Loki would have laughed out loud at the ridiculous sight. If the creature had wanted to, it would have already bitten of her arms and her head with a single movement by now.

For a split second, Loki could only admire the girl's bad luck - not only did she end up at the most dangerous place of Asgard, but she had also managed to find the most terrifying creature living in it. No sane person would ever set a foot in this forest - everybody knew well of the dangers that were lurking in it. This particular danger was a being that most people of Asgard had never even seen; most of them even suspected it to be nothing but an ancient myth, but Loki knew better. It was still highly unlikely to meet this creature, even when one went to look for it - when Loki had been studying the creatures of Asgard, he himself had spent several months roaming the forests before he had finally found this particular one.

He stepped beside the creature and poked it with his dagger. "You are still as ugly as I remember you."

The creature turned around to roar at Loki. It stretched its wings, tore its mouth open and tried to bite him, but missed him by an inch. Loki couldn't help but smirk. The poor thing obviously remembered him from their last encounter, hence its immediate enraged reaction. It seemed to get even madder at Loki's amused expression, and with a deafening roar it lunged out for him, just missing his arm again. It tried again and failed again - Loki was too fast, too nimble for the gigantic beast. The creature was furious, it kept striking and biting in Lokis direction, and when it finally managed to snap at him only to realize that it had been fighting with an illusion the entire time, it roared out wrathfully.

While his illusion had distracted the beast, the real Loki had scooped up the mortal girl that had immediately slumped into his arms, and he'd mounted his horse to hurry out of the forest and back into the palace in a matter of seconds. He had already left the forest far behind when he heard the creature's scornful roar behind him and he smirked, knowing he had outsmarted it yet again. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to face it in the near future again - it was obviously quite unforgiving.

When he finally reached his chambers, he laid the girl on his bed and sat down beside her. She stared at him with a blank expression on her face, undoubtedly in a shock from her encounter with the forest's beast, and Loki shook his head slowly.

"What in Odin's name am I supposed to do with you now?" he murmured.

He had not expected this kind of trouble when he had purchased her. He had had pleasure slaves before, and none of them had ever turned out to be so troublesome, so exhausting - _so interesting_ , a little voice in the back of his head added, but he chose to ignore it.

"Can you hear me?" he asked Layla, looking deep into her eyes, but she didn't react and he could tell that it was not an act of rebellion against him. He sighed. Exhausting, indeed.

With a wave of his hand, Layla was cleaned up and dressed in a warm nightgown. He focused on her injuries and frowned. He wasn't very familiar with the human body and was slightly afraid to hurt her even more by healing her himself and doing anything wrong, but he didn't feel like carrying her up into the healer's room now. Lettings his hands wandering over her body, he did what he could without endangering her, and when he opened his eyes, she already looked much better. This should do.

She still gazed into nothingness, though, which slowly started to unnerve Loki. Could she be broken? Maybe humans couldn't endure an encounter with an otherworldly being like the forest's creature. Maybe it had been too much now, maybe she had snapped.

He carefully touched her temples and put a light spell on her, and a second later, she had already fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Loki lay down beside her, his head propped up on his hand, and watched her breathe in and out.

She was not only beautiful, he realized, she also looked so - so fragile, so _breakable -_ her obvious helplessness suddenly sent a jolt of something strange through his chest. He hoped he hadn't broken her yet.

Overwhelmed from a mixture of guilt and protectiveness he pulled his sleeping beauty into his arms, holding her close to his body and started to stroke her hair.

He had been right the night before, she was his, his alone - but he'd have to be more careful with what was his, or he might lose it sooner than he wanted to.


	9. Good Night, My Little Mortal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for smut! I hope you like it!

When Layla opened her eyes the next morning, she was still kept tightly in Loki's embrace. Her head was lying on his bare chest and his strong arms were holding her in an almost protective manner. She felt weak, tired, but noticed that she didn't feel nearly as bad as she had yesterday. When she thought about yesterday, she could suddenly see fragments of memories dance through her still sleepy mind - they were weak and distant though; as if it had all been a bad dream. But she knew it hadn't. She had escaped, she had wandered into a forest, and she had ended up facing a monster she knew would be haunting her nightmares for the rest of her life. And then, Loki had come. He had rescued her and brought her back into his chambers. He had been gentle, caring even; an entirely different man than the one she had had to endure the night before.

She glanced down at herself and was surprised to see a nightgown on her body. Her skin was clean, too - she supposed that he had used his magic to clean her of all the dirt. Even though she couldn't remember much of it, she was somehow sure that he hadn't abused her in any way, and since she felt so much better, he must have healed some of her injuries, too. So he had actually cleaned, healed and dressed her before he had let her sleep in his arms without laying a hand on her? What was wrong with this guy; why would he be gentle and caring one day and cruel and violent the other?

Utterly confused, she turned her head to look at his face. It was flawless, she couldn't deny it, and now that he was sleeping, he looked so - so calm, so young and careless, so - _beautiful_. Her eyes wandered down his body; his firm, muscular chest and his strong arms. She had to admit that he was a treat for the eyes. For a second she couldn't help but wonder what she would have seen in him if she had met him at another time and in another place. She would have been smitten by him in a second, there was no denying it. In her world he could easily be a model, or maybe an actor.

All of a sudden she could feel herself shudder in shame. This man was a _monster_. He had raped and tortured her, and here she was thinking of him as beautiful.

She couldn't stand the touch of him anymore and carefully wriggled out of his arms, eternally grateful that he didn't wake up and obviously didn't notice her sudden absence in his sleep. Careful not to make any noise to wake him, Layla tiptoed into the bathroom, closed the door behind herself and sat down on the huge splendid bathtub for a moment. She decided to draw herself a bath. It had helped her to relax yesterday, and she could definitely use a little more relaxing.

When she was leaning back in the tub only a few minutes later, inhaling the calming steams of the bath oils and enjoying the warmth that surrounded her body, she suddenly heard a quiet cough behind her. She wheeled around and flinched when she saw Loki standing in the door, casually leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"When I woke up in an empty bed, I found myself wondering if you might have decided to attempt another escape", he said lazily, "I am pleasantly surprised to see you are still here."

Layla realized that she was trembling. She avoided his gaze and stared at the wall instead.

When the prince came closer to sit down on the rim of the bathtub, Layla shifted as far away from him as possible. She was forever grateful for the big amount of bath foam that was successfully hiding her naked body.

"How do you feel?" he asked, trying to catch her eye.

She felt anger rise inside of her. "Like I've been kidnapped, beaten and raped", she snapped.

Loki's eyes narrowed. "Still no gratitude? I have saved your life twice now."

"I didn't ask you to!"

"You would have rather been torn to shreds by the forest's beast, would you?"

Layla didn't reply to that. Loki eyed her thoughtfully and eventually reached out for her, causing her to flinch, but he ignored it and tucked a stray curl of her wet hair behind her ear.

"Listen, mortal. While I do intend to keep you as my pleasure slave and will not dismiss you from your duties as such, I have never intended to inflict any severe injuries on you. I have underestimated the fragility of your being and I plan to handle you with more care from now on."

Again, Layla didn't know what to say. She hadn't known him for long, but she had a feeling that he wasn't one to confess a mistake easily and that this was the closest he would get to apologizing for what he had done to her. But she wasn't going to forgive him for something that was unforgivable.

"Howbeit", he continued and Layla felt herself stiffen, "A slave that attempts to escape its master is to face a penalty for severe disobedience by royal order." He waited a moment, enjoying the frightened expression on her face, then said, "The good news is that I did not inform anybody of your escape, thus I will be the one responsible for your punishment."

Layla wasn't exactly relieved now. She couldn't think of anybody she wished less to punish her than the prince himself.

"I do believe you are in need of a moment to recover from your recent experiences, though, which is why I decided to postpone your punishment."

Layla frowned. "To when?"

"To when I believe it to be due." Loki smiled when he rose from the rim. "I will leave you for the day. I assume that you will not be surprised to hear that I have ordered guards to watch over you from now on."

She was not at all surprised, even though she doubted that she would have tried to escape again anyways - not after the things that had happened last night. When she looked up to ask Loki what she was supposed to do all day, he was already gone. She let out a breath she hadn't realized to be holding.

Maybe the worst was over.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was already quite late when Layla decided to go to sleep, even though she was still alone.

She had had an amazing, relaxing day. In the morning, she had taken her time in the bathroom before sitting down on the balcony to enjoy the sun. By noon, a maid had come into the room to bring her something to eat and to drink, and when she had finished her lunch, she had started to read one of the few books in the prince's chambers that was written in her language. She had taken a long nap in the afternoon and returned to the balcony to watch the sunset in the evening - it had almost felt like a holiday. She had almost felt _good_.

Layla had always been an expert in suppressing any kinds of problems and haunting memories, but it was hard to cope with everything that had happened in the last few days, even for her. The immense fear of what was still awaiting her didn't help, either. She tried to block it all out, but it was exhausting and when it was dark outside and Layla returned into the bedroom, she realized how incredibly tired she was. She hadn't seen Loki all day and didn't know what he expected her to do when he returned. Eventually, she decided to not care about his expectations. She put on the gown from the night before and went to bed, snuggling herself into the soft blankets, and she fell asleep in an instant.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Loki's day hadn't been much better than the last one, and he was more than grateful when he was finally released from his duties. As much as he despised seeing Thor on Asgard's throne, he had to admit that there were quite a few advantages in not being the king's representative. One of them was certainly the privilege of taking a break from the reponsibilities when he felt like it.

Frigga had insisted on sending a group of warriors to Laufey to apologize for the former attack, and Thor had followed her advice, even if reluctantly. They were waiting for an answer now, hoping for the best, and since there wasn't much to do now until they received Jotunheim's reaction, Loki had decided to withdraw himself.

When he arrived in his chambers, it was already late night and he wasn't surprised to find the mortal girl sleeping soundly in his bed. He sighed. Work before pleasure didn't seem to count today. He drew himself a bath and took his time relaxing in the warm water. When he left the bathroom an hour later, only dressed in loose cloth pants, he felt wonderfully refreshed, but still too uneasy to sleep.

He sat down on the bed and watched his mortal sleeping. She looked tiny in his huge bed. Her face was soft and looked relaxed in her sleep, and he couldn't help but think that she looked like a little angel. _His_ little angel, he remembered, and felt a sudden yearning flow through him. He touched her arm and was amazed by the softness of her skin. He lay down beside her and caressed her shoulder, then let his hands wander over her collarbone. Being so close to her warm body aroused him, and for a moment, he considered waking her up. But he wasn't in the mood for a fight right now. He wanted someone who would yield to him, and he doubted that the girl would give in so easily. When he rubbed his crotch against her hips a few times, she sighed quietly in her sleep, and Loki felt himself harden at the sound. The girl lying beside him so close and still, so wonderfully helpless, stirred him so much that he couldn't hold himself back. He carefully lifted the blanket and threw it aside. The girl was wearing the nightgown that he had conjured up last night, but it had rolled up and now exposed her long legs. When he trailed over her naked skin with his hand, she stirred in her sleep.

He moved over her, gently touched her temples and put the same sleeping spell on her as he had done last night. She would be sleeping deeply for hours now.

Loki let his fingers slowly wander down her face and throat, then cupped her breasts. He leant over her and kissed her neck, her shoulders, her face and eventually, he brushed his lips against hers, capturing her mouth with his tongue.

"You are mine, mortal girl", he said, his voice hoarse, then kneeled down between her legs and touched her bare thighs. He became more and more aroused by the beautiful, motionless body beneath him.

His hands shoved her gown up and revealed her hips and her womanhood, and his eyes became dark with lust when he saw her nakedness. He pushed her legs further apart and moaned at the sight of her exposed flesh. With a quick movement of his hands he let her gown disappear, leaving her body completely naked.

He moved up and caressed her breasts, then pinched her nipples firmly enough to know that she would have cried out if she had been awake. But now, without any control over her own body, her nipples hardened under his touch. Loki smiled lasciviously and leant down to suckle at her nipples, then grazed his teeth over them. The girl let out a soft moan and Loki could feel his cock twitch. His hands were still fondling her breasts, then slid further down her stomach and her hips until they finally touched what they were longing for.

Spreading her legs even further, Loki stroked over her slit, and he was delighted to find her slightly wet. While finally freeing his painfully hardened cock from his pants, his finger started to circle over her clit, causing her to flinch in her sleep. He slipped a finger inside of her and groaned at the warm, tight feeling of her body. Never ceasing the slow and gentle caresses of the girl's folds, Loki grabbed his swollen length with his other hand to to slide up and down around it. He rubbed her clit with his thumb, thrusting two fingers deep into her until she was soaking wet, then brushed the head of his cock over her slit. The feeling of the soft, wet skin pressing against the tip of his member made him groan out in lust and he had to hold himself back from thrusting deep into the girl. He didn't want to rush it. Instead, he kept stroking her wet slit with his throbbing length until he suddenly noticed that she moved her hips slightly towards it. He smirked. The girl was more fun when unconscious. He wondered if...

With a sly smile he lowered his head and kissed her stomach, then let his soft lips trail down her body. He planted a light kiss on her clit and let his tongue play with it until he could feel her body tremble under his touch. When he licked over her entrance, she moaned quietly. The sound aroused Loki so much that he could have come right here and there, but he wanted to enjoy this as long as possible. His tongue thrusted into her a few times and then returned to her clit. He licked over it in small circles, then lightly suckled on it.

Loki had never cared much whether his pleasure slaves had had an orgasm when he had bedded them or if they had even liked what he had done with them. They were meant to pleasure _him_ , not the other way around. But this was different. Making this stubborn, rebellious slave girl desire his touch without her knowledge; forcing her helpless body to take pleasure from him against her will - it filled him with an overwhelming surge of dominance and power.

He quickened his tongue's circling, pushed his fingers deeper and curled them inside of her and suddenly, the girl began to tremble. A long, but quiet moan passed her lips while her tunnel clenched around Loki's fingers and her whole body jerked underneath him.

Seeing, hearing and feeling her come so heavily was too much for Loki. He positioned his length in front of her still throbbing entrance and then slammed it into the sleeping girl that still quivered from the aftershocks of her orgasm. She whimpered quietly at the invasion and the sound made Loki even wilder. He drew his hips back and thrusted deep into her. He could feel her tight canal still convulsing around his manhood, squeezing him, and he growled out in ecstasy.

"I literally fucked you unconcious and you're still so tight", he breathed into the girl's ear and thrusted in and out of her at a fast pace, making her motionless body rise and fall beneath him with every movement.

Eventually, he noticed that Layla's unconscious body seemed to try to escape his violation. She wriggled lightly underneath him and even tried to turn around once. When she slowly raised an arm and waved it in Loki's direction as if trying to chase away an annoying fly that was disturbing her sleep, he angrily grabbed her wrists and pinned them down at the sides of her head, then thrusted into her again, even deeper than before.

"You think you can get away from me?" he hissed, eyeing her up and down and relishing the sight of her helpless body, "You will never get away from me, mortal girl, you are _mine_!"

Her reluctance to submit to him, even when asleep, angered him. A lewd smile crawled over his face when he reached down and rubbed his fingers over her still swollen clit while thrusting in and out of her. He would make her come around his cock, he would force her to orgasm while he was fucking her at a merciless pace, and he would make her take all of him - all of his cock and all of the pleasure he had to give.

He thrusted into her in a circular motion, touching all of her pleasure points at once and fell into a steady rhythm. It didn't take long until Layla's body started to quiver in arousal again, and when he could feel that she was about to climax, he gripped her hips to bury himself to the hilt inside of her and began fucking her hard and fast, making sure he hit her most sensitive parts with every thrust.

"Oh yes, my little mortal harlot, come for me!" he groaned, feeling his own climax near.

Layla came even harder than before. Her whole body trembled, she let out a few pleased sighs and her inner muscles clenched up around his thick cock, squeezing him so tightly that the wave of his own ecstatic climax started to rush over him. His cock twitched deep inside of her tight core and he moaned loudly as he spilled his seed into the girl while she was still convulsing around him.

Loki gave her a few more hard thrusts, riding out both of their orgasms, and when he finally slowed his movements and collapsed on Layla, his cock still buried inside of her, he felt utterly spent and contented. He looked at Layla's face with a smug grin. Her breathing was heavier than before and her lips were slightly parted, but she was still asleep, of course - his spell had been strong. He rolled onto his side, pulling himself out of her with a deep sigh, and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

With a satisfied smile on his face he pulled the girl closer, made her head rest on his chest and held her in his arms. He could feel her heartbeat and her breathing calm down again, and he petted her head and pushed her firmly against his naked body. Then he just lay there, listening to her slow and steady breathing and feeling the rhythm calm himself down.

"Good night, my little mortal", he whispered, and then he drifted into a deep sleep.


	10. You Are A Sick Fuck, Your Highness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for every comment!  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

When Layla woke up the next morning, she couldn't quite put a finger on it, but she felt different. She felt less exhausted and her body wasn't as tensed up as it had been for the last days. She was distantly aware of a very pleasant dream, too, but she could not remember any details.

She glanced at Loki. He was lying next to her, his arm around her shoulders, and she assumed that she had slept in his arms again. His body was warm and comfortable and for a split second she had to struggle against the impulse to stay in bed and just enjoy the warmth he was giving her before she chastised herself. _You can't seek comfort from torment in your tormentor's arms._

When she turned away from him, yawning and stretching her arms, she suddenly realized that she was stark naked. She was absolutely sure that she had put on a nightgown the evening before - she would never lay down naked in this bed - and her whole body stiffened when she realized that it must have been that bastard of a prince that had stripped her of her clothes while she had been asleep. _That sick fuck._ For a second, she fought the impulse to do something to hurt him. He had taken advantage of her again; he had taken her clothes from her sleeping body and then he had made her nestle into him to seek his warmth. She felt sick just imagining how he had ripped her clothes off of her.

Just when she moved to sit up, she realized how sore she was between her legs. She froze.

No. _No, no, no._ Had he -? No, that was impossible, she would have woken up, right? Slowly and carefully, she touched herself - and felt a slick wetness between her legs and on her thighs; a wetness that could not only come from her own body.

For a second she sat there, petrified. Then, she jumped out of the bed and stormed into the bathroom to throw up into the toilet.

No matter how terrifying and painful it had been when he had taken her the first time, somehow, this was even worse. She had been sleeping, completely helpless, and he had just used her for his sick desires as if she was just a thing, a toy for him. Who knew what he had done to her while she had been sleeping? Suddenly there was anger flowing through her. Who did this monster think he was, abusing her while she was asleep, not even allowing her the dignity of defending herself?

She wiped her mouth and walked back into the bedroom to stare at the bed. That bastard was still sleeping. Scanning the room, the table with the fruit bowl caught her eyes, and she hesitated for a second before she walked over to the table to grab the knife that was lying next to the bowl. She eyed it carefully. It was short, but very sharp, and it could certainly do a lot of damage.

For a moment, she imagined stabbing him, and a feeling of sickness mixed with the feeling of satisfaction about her self-righteous vengeance rose up inside of her. He didn't deserve any better, that was for sure. She turned around and looked at him, still asleep, calm and peaceful.

 _I can't do this_ , she thought gloomily, _I cannot kill another being_.  
  
She had always been a tender and sensitive person, always careful not to hurt anyone, always willing to help those who were weak and to respect every being, human or not. She might be a slave now, she might be tortured for the rest of her days, but she will not lose who she was. She will not become a murderer. She will not let this monster turn her into one of his kind.

Just when she turned back around to put the knife back onto the table, two strong hands grabbed her wrists from behind.

"And what exactly did you plan to do with this knife?"

Layla tried to turn around but Loki held her too firmly for her to move. He tightened the grip on her wrists and it was so strong that she whimpered. She could feel his lips hovering over her neck and his warm breath on her skin.

"Tell me, little one. What did you plan to do?"

"Nothing!" she gasped, "I swear - I didn't want to -"

"To what?" the god purred, and in a split second he had managed to grab the knife and hold it to her throat. Layla froze. "Did you want to hurt me, mortal?" His voice was soft, but menacing, and the knife grazed ever so lightly over her throat. "Like this?"

She could feel a warm drop of blood trickle down her skin.

"No", she whimpered, and he laughed. "Oh my sweet one. We had so much fun last night, and this is how you thank me?"

Layla's stomach churned. She had been right.

"You are a sick fuck", she spat out and could feel him shake his head.

"Such crude words from this beautiful mouth. Did you already forget how you are meant to address me?"

"You are a sick fuck, Your Highness!" she hissed.

Loki pressed the knife into her flesh and she whimpered when a thin, warm stream of blood ran down her skin.

"Not so defiant now, are we?" he chuckled, and Layla closed her eyes in desperation. "Mhh, you smell wonderful when you are so scared, my darling."

Loki touched her throat with his other hand and brought his finger up to his mouth. She cringed when she could hear him lick it.

"Your blood tastes almost as delicious as your cunt, my little one."

Layla stiffened. He could not know what she tasted like - except if he had found out last night when she had been asleep.

"You're disgusting", she hissed, fighting hard against the urge to sob out.

"You did not think so last night... Oh, how your sleeping body has squirmed beneath me, how your sweet mouth has moaned for me... it has been delightful", Loki crooned gleefully and Layla could feel his cock harden at his words. "Tell me, do you remember any of it? Do you remember the pleasure I have given you? Do you remember the orgasms that I have forced your defenceless body to enjoy?"

"You're lying", Layla whispered, and Loki chuckled.

Again, the sharp blade pierced her skin, and she gasped.

"Am I?" Loki said softly, and Layla whimpered when she could feel the head of his cock nudge her from behind. It slid in easily due to the slickness he had left there, and he moaned. "Do you feel how your body welcomes me, my little mortal slut?" He pushed himself deeper and when Layla tried to wriggle away from him, the knife on her throat was pushed deeper, too.

"Please", she cried.

Loki moaned loudly in response and thrusted into her until he was buried deep inside of her body. Layla whimpered at the invasion, but it only seemed to arouse him more.

"Yes, beg me, let me hear you pleading for mercy!" he groaned, and Layla couldn't hold back anymore.

"Please don't hurt me, let me go, please!" she sobbed out and Loki thrusted into her even harder, pressing her body flush against his.

He let the knife wander down her throat and over her breasts, and Layla froze - scared to death that he might hurt her unintentionally while he was ramming himself into her.

"Please don't hurt me", she wailed, and he hummed approvingly.

"Oh, your tight little cunt just loves how I slam into it, does it not? Even if you do not admit it, I can feel it twitching around my cock", Loki panted, circling one of  her nipples with the knife's blade, and Layla cried out in pain when it cut into the sensitive skin. "Oh, I love to hear you cry", he moaned and fell into a steady rhythm, fucking her hard and fast from behind.

"Do you want me to spill into you?", he whispered into her ear, his lips brushing her earlobes, "Do you want to be filled with my seed?"

Layla wanted nothing more than to scream "No", but she was too scared of what Loki might do with the knife that he was still pressing against her body.

"Answer me, wench!" he hissed, "And don't forget to address me properly!"

Layla screamed out when he thrusted the tip of the blade into her chest. "Yes, yes, please fill me with your seed, Your Highness!" she screamed, terrified, and she could feel him convulse deep inside of her, moaning out while he spilled his seed into her body.

When Loki had given Layla every drop of himself, he pulled out of her with a contented sigh and finally let go of her body. She sank down to her knees, crying and sobbing uncontrollably. For a moment, she forgot that Loki was still standing beside her, and she gasped in shock when she felt him grab her hair.

"Do you know why I did this?" he asked casually.

"Yes", Layla sobbed out, "Because you thought I wanted to kill you."

Loki chuckled. "No. I knew very well that you were just about to put the knife down again."

Layla's eyes widened. "But then why - why?"

She could almost hear his smug grin when he replied, "Because that is your only meaning of life, my sweet. To be used by your master, your king, your _god._ "

 

 

* * *

 

 

After Loki had left, Layla drew herself a bath and spent a while in the tub, scrubbing her skin until it was sore in a desperate attempt to get him out and off of her body. The knife had left a few cuts behind that just wouldn't stop bleeding, too, and she had to get out of the warm water to take care of them. She was just stepping out of the bathtub when the bathroom door opened, and she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body as fast as she could.

Loki watched her, obviously amused. "Still so shy? Trust me, I have seen almost every inch of your body by now, inside and out."

Layla blushed and looked down at the ground. She wondered why he had come back so early, he usually didn't return to his chambers until it was evening - then again, she hadn't really spent much time here yet. Maybe she had just been lucky to be alone most of the time in the last few days.

"I believe you still have a punishment awaiting you for running away."

Her eyes widened.

"There will be a royal feast tonight and you will be there, working as a serving maid. Do you understand?"

Layla stared at the prince, utterly confused. She had expected to have to endure the worst kinds of punishment - violence, torture, brutal rape. Working as a serving maid at a feast was nothing compared to what she had been imagining. It actually sounded interesting - she would finally have something to do, she would be distracted for a while and maybe she'd come to meet other housemaids of the palace, too.

"Do you understand?" Loki repeated warningly, and Layla hurried to nod. "Good. You will go down into the kitchens when the sun begins to set and the head housemaid will give you all the instructions you will need."

"Okay", she said, still surprised at how lucky she was.

Loki nodded and turned around but then hesitated. He looked back at Layla who was watching him warily.

"Why did you not attempt to kill me?"

Layla stared at him.

"With the knife. You were considering it, do not deny it. But you chose not to."

She looked at the ground. "I wouldn't stand a chance against you anyways."

"Of course not. But you thought I was asleep and if I had been, you could have hurt me without much effort from your side. But I could feel that you were not even willing to try. Why?"

Layla hesitated for a moment. "I'm not a murderer", she said eventually, and Loki raised his brows.

"That is either very honourable of you or very stupid."

He eyed her and for a second, his gaze lingered on her chest. Layla stiffened. He wouldn't already take her again now, would he?

"You are still bleeding", he said, and when Layla looked down she could see red stains on the fluffy white towel.

"I'm sorry", she murmured, "I will wash the towel."

Loki made a dismissive hand gesture and then stepped closer. Layla instinctively backed away, but the wall was right behind her - she was captured. Again. She looked up to the dark-haired god with frightened eyes, and Loki returned the look with a strange, almost compassionate expression on his face. He slowly pulled the towel from Layla's body and let it fall to the ground. Layla felt hot tears stinging in her eyes.

"Please not again", she croaked, but Loki didn't answer.

He brushed his knuckles against her cheek to wipe away her tears, then let his fingers wander down her throat and her breasts. Layla closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was about to happen. She was so tense that she didn't even notice how the stinging pain of her cuts slowly vanished.

When she opened her eyes again after a moment, she was startled to see Loki smile, his gaze still glued to her breasts.

"Better?" he asked, and she furrowed her brows.

She followed his gaze and gasped. Her cuts were gone. They hadn't even left scars on her skin. Carefully, as if she couldn't believe her injuries were actually gone, she touched her skin and shook her head in disbelief.

"Thank you", she whispered eventually.

"You are welcome."

When Layla lifted her gaze to look him in the eyes, he was already gone.


	11. Not To Be Envied

Layla was utterly nervous when she walked down into the kitchen. She has never worked as a waitress before and she was scared to death to do anything wrong. She also didn't know how the other maids would be like and how they would treat her - maybe they knew what kind of maid Loki had made her; maybe they would look down at her for what she was - she wasn't sure if she could take anybody looking down at her for what she had been forced to do.

When she arrived in the kitchen, an elder woman with curly grey hair and beautiful, light blue eyes approached her with a kind smile on her face. "Hello my dear, how can I help you?"

"My - my name is Layla, Loki - I mean, the - the prince -"

The woman tilted her head to the side. "I see. Prince Loki has told me that you would join us for the feast tonight. Don't be afraid, dear, I will take care of you. My name is Ophelia, I am the head housemaid. Whenever you are troubled or need help of any kind, you can come to me. Have you ever worked as a serving maid before?" When Layla nervously shook her head, Ophelia smiled. "That is not a problem. I will give you your dress and show you everything. Follow me."

After helping Layla to change into her new dress, she introduced her to the other maids and showed her the kitchens and the large hall that the feast would take place in. When they returned from the hall, they sat down in a small room next to the kitchens. Ophelia poured them both a cup of tea and Layla was genuinely thankful for the little break.

"Well, Layla", the head housemaid said, "Did you understand everything that I've told you?"

"I think so", Layla murmured, "All I have to do is to serve the asgardians with plates of food and to refill their glasses whenever needed."

"They shouldn't even have to ask you - whenever a glass is about to be emptied, you will refill it", Ophelia reminded her, and Layla nodded. "And don't forget to address the princes properly. Prince Loki's brother Thor will be adressed as Your Majesty, Your Highness or My King, since he is the transitional king for now."

Layla frowned. "I'll serve the prince and the king, too?"

Ophelia raised a brow. "Did Prince Loki not tell you? You will only be responsible for the royal table tonight. Usually, there's where the king, the queen and the two princes are sitting, but the Allfather and Allmother will not participate in the feast tonight. King Thor decided to invite his friends, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, to join them at the table instead. So it's going to be six people at the table."

"And I'll only serve them?"

Ophelia nodded. "That is a position a lot of maids would be more than happy to have. You're quite envied by the others."

Layla didn't say anything and Ophelia eyed her carefully. "What is the matter?" she asked suspiciously, and when Layla looked up, she was angry to realize that she had tears in her eyes.

"I'm really not to be envied", she whispered with a strained voice, and the elder maid's face softened.

"You are Prince Loki's new pleasure slave, aren't you?"

Layla nodded.

"I've heard of how rough he can be and I am sorry for what you are going through. But tonight you will only be serving food and drinks, my dear. Enjoy your break from the prince's cruelty."

Layla smiled faintly. "Can I ask you something?" When the maid nodded, she asked, "What happened with Loki's other pleasure slaves?"

The frightened look on Ophelia's face betrayed her true feelings, even though she obviously tried to hide them by putting on a smile. "Don't worry about that yet. You've just arrived here."

"But what will -"

"Child - I - to be honest, I do not know. Nobody knows. They were - just gone one day. We never heard of them again."

Layla had a lump in her throat.

"Let us not think about that now", Ophelia said as cheerfully as she could, and Layla nodded slowly.

_Let's not think of how I'm going to die. Sure._

"Can I ask another question?"

Ophelia smiled. "You can always ask me anything. And not only tonight. I'm the head housemaid, my dear, I'm in charge for every maid in the palace."

"Thank you", Layla said, "I was just wondering if there's - a special reason for the feast tonight?"

"Oh - did Prince Loki not tell you? You do know that our king Odin is indisposed for a while, and that his son Thor will be king until the Allfather can return to his throne? Today is Prince Thor's official coronation, and the feast will follow the ceremony. It will be a rather merry event."

Layla returned the smile Ophelia gave her. She had still anticipated to be presented with a catch in this innocent task, but everything seemed to be fine. Loki had also healed her this morning - well, after he had injured her, but still - so maybe he wasn't fully evil. Maybe her life was really taking a turn for the better.

Serving six people with food and drinks didn't sound so bad. Actually, it sounded amazing compared with her former duties.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Slave girl, bring us mead from the kitchen."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Layla hurried down the corridor and into the kitchen. She was almost good-humoured by now. The evening had been far from what she had anticipated. After bringing in the plates with food she didn't really have anything to do but to stay behind the table and refill the glasses when they were about to be emptied.

Loki was the only one who called her slave girl, Thor and his friends addressed her as maid, but she didn't really mind.

_Let him call me whatever he wants to, as long as he doesn't touch me._

She took a bottle of mead and hurried back into the hall. When she poured out the mead, she let her gaze wander over the hall. There must be hundreds of people in here and it was incredibly loud.

She looked at Thor's back. It was the first time that she had seen him; he was a big, handsome and muscular guy who seemed a little bulky to her. She found it almost hard to believe that he and Loki were brothers; they seemed to be so different.

Thor's friends were actually quite nice. The three men seemed to be happy as long as they had enough to eat and to drink, and they sometimes even flirted a little with her, but in a cute and funny way that made her laugh instead of feel harrassed. The woman had only talked to her once when she'd asked for a sweeter wine. Layla couldn't help but admire her. She was beautiful, yes, but most of all, she was strong and independent. Nobody would ever treat her the way Layla had been treated, nobody would ever address her as 'slave girl' or 'slut' and instead of huddling behind the table while waiting for orders, she was sitting at it and giving them.

Thor was just bragging about a battle of some sort where he had saved his brother's life when Layla noticed that Loki was waving his hand at her without even turning around. She quickly stepped beside him.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Do what you are here for, slave girl."

Layla furrowed her brows in confusion. He was still not looking at her, he was casually cutting meat on his plate, and Layla had no idea what he wanted her to do.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, what do you want me to do for you?"

He sighed and put down his knife, but still didn't turn his head to face her. She stayed beside him, shifting from one foot to another, desperately waiting for an explanation so she wouldn't do anything wrong.

"I said, do what you are here for."

Layla suddenly had a thick lump in her throat. Was this some kind of trap? She was doing everything she was supposed to do, wasn't she? She scanned the table, but every glass was filled, the plates were all full with delicious food - what else could he possibly want from her?

"I'm really sorry, but I don't - don't understand - what you mean."

"Are all mortals this daft? You are a _pleasure slave_. Now go ahead and _pleasure_ me."

Layla's blood ran cold. "Y-Your Highness?"

Loki finally turned his head and met her gaze with a cold expression on his face that made her shiver. "Kneel down beneath the table and fulfill your duties."

She stared at him, dumbstruck, and opened her mouth, but she was completely lost for words.

Loki raised his brows. "Do I have to repeat myself, slave?"

"My prince, please - please don't - don't make me -"

He smiled coldly. "If you do not fulfill your duty of your own free will, I will have no qualms about using a knife again."

Layla felt tears pooling in her eyes. He couldn't be serious. This must be some kind of test. She glanced at the hall - it was still crowded and even if there was a tablecloth that would hide her, she was sure that there wold be more than enough people who'd notice if she was to crawl beneath the table now. And Thor, who was sitting right next to his brother, would certainly see everything she'd do. Even the other four might be able to catch a glimpse of her if she would do what Loki wanted her to do now.

"Get down, mortal, or I shall tie you up in the middle of this room and let any willing man have his way with you!"

She gasped and could feel a tear running down her cheek. Loki rolled his eyes at this, and Layla yelped when he suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Now, wench!"

Out of the corner of her eyes she could see five heads turning in her direction, and she was mortified. Now Thor and his friends would all witness her humiliation. And then, a sudden thought flashed through her - _Thor!_ He was the Crowne Prince, he was even King as for now, he could not possibly support Loki's action? She let out a deep breath when Thor leaned over with furrowed brows.

"What is the matter, brother?"

Loki glanced at him. "My slave is a little slow in fulfilling my wishes", he said with a lewd grin, and obviously, Thor understood immediately.

"Here? Now?"

Layla sighed in relief at his words.

And then, Thor began to roar with laughter. "Brother, you're a real ladykiller! Go ahead, have some fun! You're lucky Father is not around!"

Layla stared at him in sheer terror.

When Loki yanked at her arm, she lost her balance and stumbled to the stone ground. She winced and tried to get back up, but Loki had already grabbed her throat and was holding her down, and without any effort he pushed her beneath the table and forced her to kneel down between his legs that were holding her in place.

"Please", she whispered, her face burning with shame.

Loki opened his pants and Layla looked up to him with wide, frightened eyes. She glanced at Thor and was apalled when she realised that he was watching her with hungry eyes. When Loki pulled her closer by her hair she could see that he had already freed his cock, but it was only semihard and for a second, Layla felt a spark of hope - maybe he wouldn't be able to pull this through? - but when he rubbed his length against her lips and saw her trying to back away in vain due to his firm grip, he let out a quiet moan and she could feel him harden more.

He pushed his cock against her soft lips and she desperately shook her head, her lips pressed together, tears running down her face.

"You have a stubborn one there, brother", Thor laughed out, obviously having the time of his life.

"In the end, they will always yield", Loki replied nonchalantly.

He shot her a warning glare and Layla knew that she didn't stand a chance. She would either submit to him now or be forced to submit to him later - why should she even bother to fight anymore? She opened her mouth, trembling with rage, fear and humiliation, and Loki grinned smugly when he pushed his cock deep into her mouth.

Loki withdrew himself almost completely and then thrusted in again, this time deep enough to make Layla gag around his cock. He let out a satisfied sigh and began to fuck her mouth with deep, hard thrusts, fully aroused by now. When he buried his whole length inside of her throat, Layla cried out, the sound muffled by his cock. He grinned when her wide, frightened eyes locked with his, enjoying the sight of her choking around him.

Layla felt as if she was about to suffocate. She shoved her hands against Loki's knees to push herself away from him, but he didn't even seem to notice her efforts to escape him.

"What a beautiful view, brother!" Thor roared, and Loki finally slipped out of Layla's mouth a bit to allow her a few gasps before he slammed back in.

It felt like an eternity to Layla, but at some point she could tell that he was finally about to come. His breathing became shorter and his cock began to twitch - and then he spilled his hot seed into her throat, moaning out loudly. His warning glare told her that he expected her to swallow, but it was just too much for her, and even though she gulped down as much as she could, she could still feel a few drops ooze out of her mouth.

Loki thrusted into her a few more times to let her lips milk every last drop out of his cock, and when he slipped out of her, he let out a deep sigh.

As he finally let go of her hair, Layla slumped to the ground, sobbing out quietly for a few seconds before a sudden sickness came over her. She turned her head to the side and violently threw up.

When she was done, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand - and then she met Loki's gaze. She winced. He stared at her with a cold darkness in his eyes.

"You should really not have done that", he breathed, and she froze.

"I'm so sorry", she whispered tonelessly, "I was - it was -"

"Oh brother, don't be so hard on her!" Thor said laughing, "It's not her fault you're not tasty enough!"

Layla could hear the three other men laughing, too, and for a brief second she wondered what the woman was doing.

"Very well", Loki said coldly, "If she does not appreciate having me in her mouth, she might appreciate me in that tight little cunt of hers."

Layla's eyes widened. He could not -

With a quick movement he dragged her out from under the table and grabbed her hair again. She was scared to death, but tried not to make any sounds - she was vaguely aware that there were still hundreds of people in this hall and she didn't want to attract more attention than necessary.

Loki roughly grabbed her hips and lifted her on his lap, and Thor and his friends began to maffick. Layla wriggled around, trying desperately to get off of Loki's lap again, and she was terrified to feel his manhood harden beneath her movements again. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't do this in public, in front of so many people. She turned her head around. There were _hundreds_ of people around, why did nobody try to help her? They couldn't approve of rape, even if she was just a slave in their eyes!

"Help me!" she screamed out.

Thor roared with laughter. "What do you need help with, girl? You're a pleasure slave! Now stop your fussing!"

She met Loki's eyes and he grinned lewdly, obviously knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"It is true, my little mortal whore. Believe me, nobody here cares about your pathetic wailing. If anything, they are annoyed by the noise you make."

Layla squirmed on Loki's lap, fighting with everything she had against his firm grip. This entire city was mad. They were witnessing a rape and nobody was even batting an eyelid. She should have let the dragon in the forest kill her. She should have killed Loki this morning. She should have -

Loki took a knife from the table and Layla stiffened when she felt the blade on her hip. Then she realized that he had used it to cut off her briefs and that her naked cunt was now pressing against the god's throbbing cock.

"Let me go", she hissed, "Let me go right now!"

Thor and his three friends cheered at this, but Loki just shot her a glare.

"Please", she whispered so quietly that she wasn't sure that Loki had even heard her.

"Let the merry part of the evening begin!" Thor suddenly shouted and was met with applause, "Bring the whores, Volstagg!"

In the next second the music changed from pleasant and peaceful sounds to a loud and cheerful melody.

Loki grabbed Layla's hips again and lifted her up to position his cock at her unprepared entrance. Layla struggled even harder to escape his touch and Loki chuckled before he let her sink down, slowly impaling her with his manhood.

"NO!" Layla screamed and hit him in the face, and he raised his eyebrows before pushing her further down, sliding deeper into her core while moaning out. Layla felt as if she was torn apart.

"Not wet at all this time", Loki whispered into her ear, "That is a shame, little one. It makes it _much_ more painful for you."

Layla opened her mouth to yell something at him, but Loki decided to push her down all the way at this very moment, and instead of an insult, a wail of pain left her lips. The pain was unbearable, it felt as if he was even deeper inside of her than ever before, and for a moment, everything went black. And then he began to push her up and down his cock and she was too breathless to scream anymore.

She threw her head to the side, searching for someone, _anyone_ to help her. Thor watched her and Loki with greedy eyes, licking his lips, and the three men next to him followed his lead. She caught a glimpse of the woman, who looked at her plate with a stony expression on her face. A wave of fury came over her - why didn't she help her? Why didn't _anybody_ help her?

Her body was still bobbing up and down, driven by Loki's firm grip on her hips, and it didn't take him long before he began to pant and groan uncontrollably. He dugged his fingers even deeper into Layla's flesh, leaving marks on her body, and he moaned ecstatically when he pushed her down so forcefully that it knocked the breath out of her, burying himself to the hilt inside of her sore cunt and finally spurting his seed into her.

When he had spilled his last drop into her body, Loki let go of her hips, letting her sink down on his cock one last time. Layla slumped against his chest, her body nothing but a lifeless doll. It even took her a few seconds to realize that it was over. When she did, she began to cry, her face buried in the crook of Loki's neck.

Loki wrapped his arms around her body and gently rubbed her back. Now that he was completely satisfied and spent, her sorrow somehow pierced his heart.

"There, there", he hummed soothingly, "You have done very well, little one. It's over now."

Layla clung to Loki's neck and sobbed out, and he stroked her hair tenderly. "It's alright, my little mortal. Do not cry. It's over."

He held her tightly for a moment, trying to calm her down, but she didn't stop crying.

"Do you wish to go to my chambers?" he asked, and Layla nodded desperately.

"Very well", Loki said, "Come, sweet one, I will -"

He fell silent when Thor suddenly interrupted him. "Brother, you cannot send her away now. The fun part of our feast has just begun! She has been amazing so far and she has yet to satisfy her king's needs!"


	12. As You Wish, My King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm cruel to Layla... Sorry! The next chapter will be a little more light-hearted, I promise!

Layla stiffened in Loki's arms, not daring to move. Thor couldn't be serious. He just couldn't. She noticed that Loki's body beneath her had tensed up, too. He didn't seem to like the idea of her pleasuring his brother, either, and she felt a wave of gratitude towards him.

"Forgive me, Thor, but I would rather not share my bedslave with you", she heard him say coldly, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. She decided to plant a soft kiss on it, hoping that Loki would understand the gesture as a thank you for not handing her over to Thor like a piece of meat. He squeezed her gently in response and started to stroke over her hair.

"Oh brother, don't be selfish!" Thor said, "I've never had a mortal before!"

"That is a shame, but by all means, it is your loss and not mine."

It was only now that Layla realized that Loki was still buried inside of her. She shifted a little on his lap which made his cock twitch against her sore inner walls, and she let out a quiet whimper of pain.

"Shh, little mortal, I will carry you into my chambers now. You need to rest", Loki whispered into her ear.

"Loki", Thor said reproachfully, and Loki shot him a glare.

"The girl is spent for tonight, Thor. She needs to recover."

"I'm sure I'll be able to breathe new life into her", Thor boasted, and Loki snorted angrily, still stroking the mortal's head.

"I could give you the order to share her, brother", the blonde god suddenly growled with a warning undertone.

Loki glared at his brother for a few seconds and his face hardened. Yes, Thor could give him any order he wanted. He was the king now, and he, Loki, was still just who he had always been - the redundant second son. The underestimated, neglected, unappreciated second-born. The prince - not the king. Thor was above him now; no, he had _always_ been above him, and as his king he could give him any order he wanted to. As much as he hated it, but Loki knew that this was a battle he would lose. A battle he had already lost.

"As you wish, _my king_ ", Loki spat out, "Slave, go ahead."

Layla cringed when he suddenly called her slave again instead of the pet names he had used while he had been soothing her. It had felt so good being held and comforted.

It took her a second to understand what else he had just said to her, and when she did, she tilted her head back and stared at him, her eyes wet and her face swollen from crying; a few strands of her slightly wet hair sticking to her skin. Loki returned the look and for a second he felt pangs of guilt when he saw the disbelief and desperation in the girl's eyes, knowing very well that things were going to get even worse for her in a minute. But then he pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. This wasn't his fault; Thor was king and if the king wanted her, he would have her. There was absolutely nothing he, Loki, could do about it. Thus, there was no reason to feel guilty about it, either.

"Do not make me repeat myself", he said warningly, and Layla shook her head slowly.

"No", she whispered tonelessly, "You just said - you said it's over - you said you'd bring me to your chambers -"

Her words and the look of someone who had just been stabbed in the back hurt Loki's heart more than he would ever admit, and he gave his best to hide his feelings behind the cold expression on his face.

"I am not called the god of lies for nothing. Now go ahead, pleasure my brother, whore."

Layla still looked up at Loki with big, pleading eyes. "Please", she croaked, "Don't make me - I can't take anymore -"

Loki eyed her up and down with a dark coldness in his eyes. "I am sure you can."

"Well, you heard him, girl", Thor said impatiently and Layla stared at him in disbelief. "Come here now!"

She shook her head, looking at Loki again, but he didn't return her look anymore. He grabbed her hips and lifted her from his lap, finally pulling his semihard cock out of her, and she whimpered in response to the feeling. When he let go of her, her legs were so weak that she fell down onto her knees in front of Thor.

"If that is what you want to do first, go ahead", Thor grinned lewdly and licked his lips when he loosened his belt and opened his pants. He had pushed his pompous golden chair back and was now spreading his legs, grinning down at her.

Layla looked back at Loki. She was still waiting for him to interfere, to say something, to save her - but he just took a sip of wine and didn't even glance at her anymore. He didn't even seem to care about what was happening to her. _And why would he? You are nothing to him!_

"Focus on me now, girl", Thor urged, "You can go back to my little brother when I'm done with you."

When she looked back at Thor, she realized that he had already freed his hardened cock and she could only stare at it. It wasn't much longer than Loki's, but formidably thicker, and she didn't know if it would even fit into her mouth.

"Don't let your king wait any longer", he growled and she swallowed, trying hard to fight back the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes again.

"Thor?"

Layla looked up when she heard the female voice, but Thor just grumbled. When Layla realized that it had been Lady Sif who had talked to Thor, she almost started to cry for joy and relief. Finally. Lady Sif would help her, she would talk some sense into Thor, and he would let go of her.

"Can I speak with you for a second?" Lady Sif said with a strained voice, and when Thor made a discontented noise, she added, "It is important."

But Thor didn't even turn his head. "Not now", he growled and Layla was shattered when she saw Sif bowing slightly before leaving the table with a strange expression on her beautiful face. Layla's tear-dimmed eyes followed the woman until she was lost in the crowd.

Loki wouldn't help her and Sif wouldn't help her. Nobody would help her. Layla closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to collect her strength. This would happen and she would survive it, she told herself. It wouldn't take too long and then, Loki would carry her upstairs and she could finally go to sleep. Maybe he would even heal her and maybe he would let her sleep in his arms again.

When she caught herself longing for his soft and somehow protective embrace, she felt her cheeks heat up in shame. Loki was no better than Thor. But as much as she hated herself for it, she had to admit that in this very moment, she would do almost anything to be lying in his arms instead of kneeling down in front of yet another stranger.

Suddenly, Thor's hands grabbed her long hair and pulled her closer, and she yelped in surprise when he pushed his rock hard cock against her face. He yanked at her hair and when she cried out in pain, he took the chance to press his cock between her lips and push himself inside of her mouth. Layla tried to back away, but he held her by her hair and pushed his length even further down her throat. When he pulled out again and forcefully thrusted back into her, she gagged.

"Come on, girl, you can do better than this", Thor groaned and forced himself deeper into her.

He was too big, too thick, she couldn't breathe anymore and yet he still forced himself even deeper. She pressed her hands against Thor's legs and tried to push herself away from him. When the blonde god felt her pathetic try of resistance, he grabbed the back of her head to roughly push her against his crotch, forcing her to swallow even more of his length.

Layla choked, she felt her head become dizzy. Her hands flew to the side, desperate for anything, anyone that could help her before this monster would suffocate her, and without even thinking about it she grabbed Loki's leg and digged her fingers into his leather pants, squeezing his leg as firmly as she could. She couldn't see him anymore, her eyes were blurred, but she hoped instinctively that he would do something, _anything_ , to help her.

"Do try not to kill her, will you?" she could hear him say casually.

Thor laughed out. "You like her, brother?"

"Don't be ridiculous. She's just a slave. But I cannot be bothered with going to the market and buying another slut so soon."

Layla couldn't explain it - she had been through worse and she was suffering much worse in this very moment, but still, Loki's words hurt something deep inside of her. But at least Thor withdrew his cock a bit, enough for her to take a few greedy breaths before he forced her head to bob back and forth, again and again.

"By the norns, brother, who would have thought that a mortal could be such fun."

Layla could feel his cock twitch against the back of her throat, and then he finally spilled his load into her mouth. It leaked out of her mouth and dripped down her chin and his cock, but he still didn't let go of her, and again she tried to shove against his knees to push herself away from him. This time, he actually let go, and Layla lost her balance and landed on her back. Thor roared with laughter at the sight.

Layla didn't care. She was gasping for air while wiping her mouth and chin, utterly disgusted by the fact that she was not only covered in one man's seed but two.

She was still panting when Thor suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her up while shoving glasses and plates from the table with the other hand. Layla cried out in protest and tried to wriggle out of his grip, but Thor didn't even seem to notice her attempts to escape him. When she realized that Loki glanced at her, she gave him a pleading look and begged him to help her, but he returned her look silently and with the hardest, coldest expression that Layla had ever seen on another one's face.

Eventually, Thor slammed her onto the large wooden table. She screamed out in pain and shock and immediately tried to sit up again, but the blonde god was holding her down effortlessly. He shoved her skirt up and leered at her while she was wriggling and squirming to get away from him. She still shot pleading glances at Loki, who gave her a stony look, seemingly completely unconcerned by her misery.

Thor on the other hand was watching her lustfully, obviously letching over her. He kicked her legs apart and positioned his length at her entrance, and Layla screamed out.

"No, please, please don't!"

"Stop screaming, girl", Thor groaned rather annoyed, and when she didn't listen to him, he put his hand around her throat and cut off her air flow.

When she fell silent, he grinned at her and forced the head of his thick cock into her core. Layla couldn't scream anymore, but she gasped at the excruciating pain that she was feeling at yet another forceful invasion, and she wildly flailed her arms. Her whole body was jerking beneath Thor, so much so that the table was shaking.

Thor moaned when he began pushing himself deeper into her, and when Layla glanced down, she was horror-stricken. She already felt as if she was torn apart and he wasn't even halfway in.

"Enjoying the sight?" the god leered at her and slammed his length into her to bury himself to the hilt inside of her cunt.

When he loosened the grip around her throat, Layla wailed hysterically while Thor was moaning at the feeling of her silky warmth. He grabbed her hips to pull her body against his and started fucking her at a fast pace, his pelvis meeting hers with every thrust. Layla whimpered beneath him.

It didn't take him long to come a second time. The view of the pretty little mortal that he had taken from his brother aroused him to no end, and when he felt his climax near, he thrusted into her as deep as he could to pump his seed into her body, roaring ecstatically.

When he finally pulled out of Layla again, she didn't even move anymore. She stared at the golden ceiling with the beautiful paintings above her, feeling nothing but pitch-black emptiness. She didn't care that she was lying halfnaked on this table anymore, she didn't care that Thor, Loki or god knows who else were going to have their way with her now. She just hoped that whoever was next would have the decency to kill her when he was done.

"That's a good little slave you have there, brother", she heard Thor say from far, far away, and Loki answered frostily "Are you done with her now?"

Layla didn't hear Thor's answer and she didn't care about it, either. She didn't care about anything anymore. She didn't even look up when two strong arms carefully lifted her up. Whoever it was that had picked her up pushed her head against his chest and carried her through the hall. The loud noises from the feast soon faded away and it didn't take long until Layla was laid down onto a soft bed. She whimpered when her back hit the mattress. Her whole body was aching.

"Do you wish to take a bath, little one?" a soft voice asked, and that was when she realized that it had been Loki who had carried her out of the hall.

It didn't make any sense at all, though, why would he rape her and let his brother rape her and then carry her into his rooms with such tenderness? But it must be him, nobody else called her little one and nobody else had this low, soothing voice.

"Layla?" Loki said softly, kneeling down next to her, and when Layla met his eyes, she could clearly see concern in his face.

 _That is ridiculous_ , she thought vaguely, but she was too weak to think about it any longer, let alone confront him with his contradicting behaviour. She just nodded.

"I have already drawn you a bath", Loki said and scooped her up again.

When he put her down the next time, Layla felt warm water surrounding her, and she noticed that Loki had used the very same bath oil that she had always chosen to use.

"Does that feel good?" he asked kindly, and that was when Layla realized that he was in the bathtub, too, sitting right behind her. When she glanced down she could see that she was naked - and so was Loki, probably - and she tensed up.

"Shh, do not worry, sweet one. I will not hurt you again. Believe me."

She would have snorted if she'd had the strength to do so, but she was just too tired to fight anymore. She just let herself sink down into the hot water, leaning against Loki's firm body behind her. He pulled her against his chest, stroking her hair and humming soothingly to her.

"Do you allow me to heal you?"

It was absurd, really. She had just been raped four times because of him, and here he was asking her for permission to heal the injuries he was responsible for.

She nodded.

Loki touched her temples and she flinched, but he hummed something to calm her and Layla tried to hold still. When his hands wandered over her head, she felt her headache slowly ease until it was gone. Then, his fingers trailed down her body, and everytime they moved again, her pain was soothed more. Layla even felt her body relax a bit and she wondered if it was by his doing, too.

"Better?" he asked, and again, she nodded.

She didn't want to talk. She had cried and screamed and begged so much this evening, but none of it had helped her. If she didn't have a voice here in Asgard, then why should she even use it?

"Try to relax, little one", Loki said softly and began stroking over her hair again, "I will not hurt you. I promise."

Maybe it was Loki's affectionate behaviour, maybe his soft touch or his soothing voice, or maybe it was the relaxing, scented warmth around her, but finally, Layla let go. She began to weep, freely, bitterly, and when Loki wrapped his arms around her from behind and buried his face in her neck, whispering comforting and soothing promises into her ear, Layla found herself to be too weak to fight the need for comfort any longer, and she collapsed into Loki's arms and allowed him to pick up the pieces he had left of her.

 

 


	13. Beyond Any Excuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really can't thank you enough for every comment and kudos! I've never shared any of my writing with others before and it means so much to me when I get such great feedback. Thank you :)  
> I hope you like this chapter, too!

Layla had been crying for what felt like an eternity, and when she had finally stopped, Loki had taken her out of the bathtub, wiped her dry, dressed her in a nightgown and carried her into his bed. She hadn't been able to do any of it herself, but Loki didn't mind taking care of her. In fact, he was relieved that there was something he could do for her to make up for what has happened earlier this evening.

When he had tucked Layla into a blanket, he lay down next to her and pulled her into his arms again. He knew she wasn't sleeping, but he wasn't sure why. She should be exhausted and tired, and she really needed to rest.

"Layla?" he said softly and her whole body jerked. "Shhh", he said, "Calm down, little one, it is alright. I just wanted to know if there is anything you need. Could you be hungry?" He felt her shake her head, and he sighed. She had not spoken a single word since they had left the feast. "Do you not want to sleep?" he asked, and again, she shook her head.

It suddenly dawned on him that he had ravished her the last time that she had been asleep, and he was quite sure that Layla was aware of that, too.

"I will not touch you when you sleep", he promised, but she didn't react. Well, he could hardly blame her for not trusting him.

He sighed again. The evening had not gone exactly as planned. He had wanted to punish her for running away, yes, but not like this. Yes, he had planned to make her suck his cock beneath the table, mostly to humiliate her and to show her what to expect if she ever misbehaved like this again, but he had meant to let her go afterwards. How in Odin's name had everything gotten out of control so badly?

 _  
Loki had relished the cheers from Thor and his friends almost as much as Layla's lips around his cock. This demonstration of sheer power over his little mortal and the approval of the men at the table had been exactly what Loki had needed to get through Thor's big evening. The whole situation had been so arousing that it hadn't taken him long until he'd come, and his sweet little mortal had swallowed everything, which had earned him an appreciative slap on the back from Thor._ Well, Thor _, he had thought,_ you may be King of Asgard now, but at least I am the king of this little thing here.

_And then Layla had ruined everything by throwing up. Not only had she shown her lack of obedience by not keeping his seed inside of her, but Thor and his oafish friends had instantly begun to mock him just like they had used to when they had been younger, and Loki had burned up with anger. This whole evening had been nothing but torture for him and as if witnessing his brother's coronation hadn't been enough already, this stupid slave had now dared to ridicule him in front of everybody._

_Loki had to put her back into her place, and he had to prove Thor and these dumb warriors that he was not to be ridiculed, not by them and certainly not by a slave._

_He hadn't_ actually _wanted to take her in front of everybody - he had thought that it would be enough punishment to just force her to sit on his lap and threaten her, fondle her intimate parts, maybe finger her a bit. But when his brother and the others had begun to maffick and Layla had started to scream for help and beg for mercy, he just hadn't been able to hold himself back anymore. When he had rubbed his cock at her entrance and had realized that she hadn't been wet at all, he had lost the last bit of selfcontrol._

_She had been delightfully tight, squeezing his hard cock so mercilessly that he could have spilled into her after mere seconds, and oh, it had been just amazing to see her bob up and down on his lap - on his cock - against her will. Her tear-stained face and her big, pleading eyes had been so beautiful and the sweet sound of her sobbing and crying had been to die for. It hadn't taken him long until he had slammed himself into her core a last time to spurt his seed into her violated cunt, and his climax had been so intense that everything had gone black for a second._

_When he had come down from his orgasmic high, Layla had buried her face in his neck, leaning against his chest. It had been ridiculous and he'd known it, but when he'd felt her tears running down his neck he had suddenly felt sorry for her. The way she had clung onto him even after what he had just put her through had touched him somehow. He had begun to gently stroke her head and her back, he had praised and soothed her, and eventually, he had decided to bring her into his rooms to heal her and give her some comfort._

_And at this moment, everything had begun to go downhill again. When Thor had told him that he wanted Layla, Loki had sworn to himself that he would not let him have her - Layla was his, his alone, and nobody else's. Not only was Loki very possessive when it came to his belongings, but he had also felt the sudden need to protect the girl. He had known that he had gone too far with her - again - and letting his brother have his way with her might very well break her._

_But then Thor had basically ordered him to share the girl, and Loki had snapped._

_He had not shown any of his feelings, but he'd felt devastated when the girl had looked at him with these big beautiful eyes that had been begging him not to share her. He had realized that she had actually believed him when he'd promised her that it was over, and that it had broken her already shattered heart when he had betrayed the little faith she had had in him. She had clung to him, still begging and pleading for mercy, and his heart had ached for her. He had put on his usual mask of coldness and indifference and had shoved her from his lap a little too roughly. If there was one thing Loki could not stand, it was being helpless, and he had been utterly helpless in this moment. The feeling had driven him wild._

_Lady Sif's ridiculous attempt of gaining Thor's attention had been in vain, of course, and Loki could only shake his head at his brother's blindness. One of the most beautiful women in Asgard was longing for him and he just did not notice. Sif had left, obviously not capable of watching her beloved Thor fucking another woman, and Loki had found himself wishing he could do the same._

_It had been almost unbearable to watch Layla being abused by Thor. He had emptied two glasses of wine only to keep his hands busy because he had begun to fear that he might just pull Layla away from Thor and rip out his brother's tongue for hurting his little mortal. Yes, he, Loki, had hurt her too, but that was something entirely different._ She was his.

_The sound of Layla gagging on Thor's cock had torn his heart apart and had sent a wave of fury through him. How did Thor dare to take what was his? When he had suddenly felt her grasping his leg, desperately turning to him for help, he hadn't been able to remain silent anymore. He had been careful when he had warned Thor of killing the mortal, though - if Thor had suspected him to care for Layla, he might have enjoyed taking her even more._

_When Thor had been done and Layla had been sitting on the ground, Loki had been about to rise from his chair to pull her up, but obviously, Thor had been far from being done. Loki had met Layla's eyes for a moment and suddenly, he had felt anger rise inside of him. It was entirely her fault, all of this. If she had not run away, she hadn't been at the feast and Thor wouldn't even know of her existence. She was the only one to blame for what was happening here._

_Loki hated the fact that his mortal pet wasn't entirely his anymore, that Thor had claimed her too, that his cock wasn't the only one that had been inside of her anymore - but he also had to admit that he had felt himself become hard when he had watched Thor fuck the screaming slave girl on the table. The sight had been sublime. His little wailing mortal girl in her maid dress, lying on her back on the table, being fucked hard and fast. For a second Loki had considered having her the same way right there and then to remind her of who she really belonged to - but when Thor had let go of her and Loki had taken a look at her face, his arousal had vanished in an instant. He had been able to hear her breathe, but apart from her vital signs, she had looked as if she'd already been dead._

_Thor had obviously not noticed her condition, or maybe he just hadn't cared. He'd praised her for being a good slave, and when Loki had asked him if he was done with her, he'd had the nerve to suggest giving her to the Warriors Three, too._

_"No, Thor", Loki had said sternly, "Look at her. She is already on the brink of madness. I will bring her into my chambers now, or she might not even make it through the night. And that would be a shame for such a good slave, would it not?"_

_Thor had reluctantly agreed, and Loki had picked Layla up to carry her into his chambers._

 

And now they were here, lying in the bed together like a pair of lovers instead of a tormentor and his victim.

"Layla?" he said quietly, and again, she flinched. "I did not mean to give you to Thor. And I did not want you to get hurt like this."

Nothing.

"Do you feel a little bit better now?" She still didn't answer and Loki sighed. "You should sleep now, sweet one. I promise, you are safe with me for tonight."

 

 

* * *

 

 

Layla woke up the next morning from a quiet knock at the door. She leaped up and scanned the bed, but Loki wasn't there. She was alone in the room. Memories of the last evening had haunted her the whole night, even in her dreams, and she was relieved that she didn't have to wake up next to Loki this morning. When it knocked again, she cleared her throat.

"Yes?" Her own voice sounded strange to her.

The door opened and Ophelia entered the room, carrying a little tray.

"Layla?" she said carefully, "May I enter?"

"Hello, Ophelia. Sure."

The head housemaid came closer, put the tray onto a table and stopped in front of the bed, looking at Layla with an apologetic expression on her face.

"I am so sorry for what happened last night", she said quietly, and Layla felt a lump in her throat.

"It's not your fault", she said with a strained voice, and Ophelia shook her head.

"No, it is not. But I have promised you a carefree evening. I would never have thought - the princes have never done anything like this before - not publicly, I mean."

Layla tried to smile. "I guess I am special", she joked, swallowing down the feeling of tightness in her throat.

Ophelia stepped closer and sat down on the bed, next to Layla. "How are you today?"

Layla shrugged. "Loki healed my injuries. Everything is fine."

Ophelia took Layla's hand. "There are injuries no magic can heal, my dear. And I doubt that you are fine."

Layla could not remember when somebody had touched her like this for the last time - without any ulterior motives, without making her flinch out of fear of being hurt; just as a genuinely warm gesture. Like a friend, like a mother. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and tried to blink them away, but Ophelia noticed. She leaned over slowly and pulled Layla in a warm and soothing embrace and Layla returned her hug gratefully, crying silently.

After a while she let go of Ophelia and wiped her cheeks. "Thank you", she whispered and smiled at the elder woman.

"Nothing to thank me for, my dear. I brought tea and cookies, if you would like some?"

When they were sitting at one of the tables, looking out of the window, and Layla took her second cookie, Ophelia smiled at her.

"You already look better. Cookies always help."

Layla returned the smile.

"I went to the Allmother this morning and told her about the incident at the feast", Ophelia said after a while, and Layla looked at her in surprise. "The Allmother is a kind woman and a wise queen. She was shocked and promised me to speak to her sons."

Layla wasn't sure what to think. She didn't know the queen but she couldn't believe that she would actually put a mortal slave before her sons. And what if she actually scolded her sons and they would blame her, Layla, for it? What if they thought that she had run to her to complain?

Ophelia watched her. "Do not worry. I have known the Allmother for a long time and I trust her."

That surprised Layla. "Aren't you a slave, too?"

"No, my dear. I am a regular worker here, I get paid."

She sighed. "That's how it is on earth, too. There is no slavery, I mean, at least no legal slavery."

Ophelia was startled. "No slavery? Do you not have a severe lack of housemaids and servants?"

Layla smiled. "No. We have a lot of both, but they all get paid for their work."

The woman looked out of the window, lost in her thoughts. "Do you miss your home?"

The mortal swallowed. "Yes. I miss my family so much, and my - my life. It wasn't perfect, but it was mine. In Asgard, I'm literally not even my own master."

"I know you must think of Asgard as a terrible place. But it is a quite beautiful one, actually."

Layla's smile vanished. "I guess it's not that beautiful when you're a a bedslave."

They both sat in silence for a while until Ophelia had to leave.

Layla stayed in the chair in front of the huge window. She thought about her family and her hometown and how it had been attacked all those months ago. When the strangely armoured warriors had arrived in the town, nobody had known - or even suspected - that they were coming from a foreign world. Who would ever suspect such madness?

It was a small town that she and her family had been living in, and there weren't any soldiers, not even policemen around. The handful of people that had been able to fight had had no chance of winning against this army of warriors. Layla had just managed to hide her little sister in a closet before the warriors had stormed their farm. They had told her parents that they didn't have any use for them, but that they would happily take their pretty daughter - and against all resistance from her mom and dad, they had dragged her out of her home and thrown onto the street. They had taken every young man and woman from their home, chained them up and carried them away. Layla had lost consciousness when there had suddenly been bright, colourful lights surrounding her, and when she had woken up again, she had already been lying inside of her cage at the slave market. She didn't know where all the other ones from her hometown had ended up - she'd never seen any of them again and the guard at the market had told Loki that she was their only mortal - so she assumed that 'her' slave market was only one of many.

Though she was eternally grateful that her parents and sister had not been taken, too, she still missed them sorely. She missed her friends, too; she missed her horses and the work at the farm, her music and the sunshine on her face - she missed every single thing about her home.

Her thoughts wandered back to the last night and she felt her stomach clench up. Ophelia had seen her, _everybody in the hall had seen her_ , while the goddamn princes had fucked her senseless. Her screams and her pleading were still echoing in her head and she could hear the prince's insults as if they were standing next to her right now. Whore, slut, slave - that's all that she was for them. And the _pain_ \- she couldn't remember when she had ever felt such agony in her life before. She whimpered unintentionally when she thought about it.

She had tried to behave as normally as possible with Ophelia around, but now that she was on her own again, she felt herself be pulled back into the darkness of her nightmares. The months at the slave market had almost killed her, but the last week here in the palace had brought her to the brink of an abyss and she could feel the ground slowly break away from underneath her feet. She shook her head frantically when she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. With a twinge of panic at the overwhelming desperation that threatened to consume her, she searched for a nice thought, a pleasant memory to distract herself with - but she couldn't think of anything at all.

Instead, she looked out of the window with a blank expression on her face, staring at the beautiful landscape in front of her without really seeing it.

Asgard may be beautiful when you're an asgardian; even more so when you're a god, but it was certainly not a bit of beautiful when you're a mortal slave.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Your behaviour is more than inappropiate and beyond any excuse! I am deeply ashamed of your actions and I can only imagine what your father will have to say regarding your demeanour at the feast!"

Thor and Loki, the mighty, infamous and often dreaded gods of Asgard, were standing in front of their mother with their heads bowed down. Obviously, Frigga had been told about the feast and everything that had happened there - of course she had - and she had been infuriated. Or still was, actually.

"Mother", Thor tried to interrupt her, "Carrying out sexual actions with pleasure slaves is nothing uncommon and often a part of -"

"Do not dare to tell me how royal feasts take place in this world! I have been its queen for longer than you have been able to swing your hammer!"

Loki had to suppress a chuckle. It was such a delight to see Thor being reprimanded, especially if it was by their mother - she was a warm and patient woman, but should not be underestimated, especially not when she was angry. Unfortunately, she was just as angry at him as she was at Thor, and he could not stand her being angry at him.

"I know very well about the different kinds of amusement asgardian men tend to enjoy at royal feasts", Frigga continued coldly, "But you two are no ordinary asgardian men! You are the princes - as for now, even the king! - of this realm! Do you truly believe it adequate for the royal family of Asgard to behave like this? Do you think your father would ever have let himself go like this in front of the whole kingdom?"

The brothers remained silent.

"And that poor girl! I was told that she has been screaming for help during your little _performance!_ "

"With all due respect, Mother, but this girl is a pleasure slave and has only been urged to fulfill her duties as such", Thor objected, and his mother glared at him.

"Her duties are to be fulfilled in your private chambers, not publicly! Especially not if she is unwilling to do so! A weak mortal girl screaming for help while the king and the prince take her against her will - do you have any idea of the discredit this reflects on the whole royal house?"

"I admit, I might have gotten a bit - carried away -" Loki said ruefully, and Frigga huffed, "- and it will not happen again, Mother."

She nodded shortly and sighed when she started to wander around in the room. "I am highly disappointed in you two. I believed to have raised you to be better men."

While Loki felt a stinging pain in his heart at her words, Thor rolled his eyes. "You are being dramatic, Mother. There have always been bedslaves in the palace and we did not do anything wrong with taking her, apart from the publicness."

Loki could almost see the fury radiate from his mother.

"I will not discuss the tradition of pleasure slavery itself with you, but I did expect you to treat a woman with a modicum of respect, slave or not. What you have done to her yesterday was disgusting and ignominious, and if this is how you treat her in public, then I am horrified imagining what the girl is going through when you are alone with her!"

Loki looked at the ground. Being reprimanded by his mother was not a pleasant way to start the day to begin with, and his sexual activities being a part of their dispute did not ease the embarrassment it was putting him through, either. Besides, her open display of disappointment affected him deeply.

"I apologize, Mother", he murmured and Frigga's face softened.

"I am not the one you owe an apology, son."

While Loki nodded, Thor snorted. "You can't expect me to apologize to a slave!"

Frigga's eyes narrowed. "I can, and I do. And if you don't do as I tell you, the first thing I am going to tell your father when he awakens is how you chose to represent him as our king on the day of your coronation."

Neither Thor nor Loki said a word when they were dismissed by their mother. While Thor headed towards the throne room, Loki decided to go back into his chambers. He wanted to look after Layla. She had not been sleeping well; Loki had felt her rolling from one side of the bed to the other, whimpering in her sleep from time to time, and one time he had even started up from his sleep because she had suddenly screamed out in her dreams. He had put a sleeping spell over her then, something he suddenly hadn't felt comfortable with anymore, but she had at least slept peacefully through the night from then on. She had still been asleep when he had left in the morning, but he assumed that she was awake by now.

He felt strange at the thought of apologizing to her. Yes, he did feel remorse considering last night; he knew very well that he had gone too far. Still, apologizing was not exactly one of his favourite things to do, and then to a slave - if it wasn't for his mother, he would have avoided this at all costs. He had already told Layla that he had not wanted to give her to Thor or to hurt her so badly, and that would usually be the closest to an apology anyone could expect from him. But he had to admit, even if reluctantly, that this wasn't good enough this time.

He was just not sure how one was supposed to apologize for something that was 'beyond any excuse' as his mother had said.


	14. Where's The Catch?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Loki decided that Layla needs a little break, this chapter might be a bit boring... but I hope you still like it.

The girl was sitting at a table, looking out of the window with her legs tucked up and her whole body wrapped up in a wool blanket. She hadn't heard him enter the room and Loki just watched her for a few moments. She didn't move at all. If he hadn't known better, he might have thought that she was just a statue.

"Layla?" he said quietly and stepped closer, and she flinched when she heard him call out her name. She turned around to look at him, but didn't say a word. He went up to her and sat down on the chair next to her, but she had already turned back to the window.

"How are you?"

When Layla turned towards him again and returned his gaze, he eyed her carefully, slightly alarmed. She didn't look well, and he couldn't even explain it. Yes, she was pale and had dark circles around her eyes, but that was not what bothered him.

He remembered the day that he had brought her here. She had been on the brink of death back then, malnourished and severely ill, yet somehow... somehow she looked even worse now. Not physically, of course, she was healthy now, had a normal weight and he had healed all of her injuries; but there was something in her eyes that made him feel uneasy. Something that hadn't been there before. There was no rebelliousness inside of them, and he noticed heavy-heartedly that he could not even find despair or pain in them anymore. What he saw was an expression of sheer blankness and desolation. Her eyes were empty. Dead.

 _This is your fault_ , he thought to himself, _you've destroyed her, and everything that's left of her now is an empty, broken shell._

"If there is anything that you need, do not hesitate to ask for it", Loki offered, but Layla did not answer. He wondered if she had chosen to remain silent from now on and let a few minutes pass by before he asked, "Will you not speak with me, little one?"

Layla still stared at him and he wondered if she even _saw_ him. Did she know that he was here? Could she hear what he was saying? He had no idea how fragile mortal minds actually were, and he had to admit that a young girl probably wouldn't even need a fragile mind to break after what had happened last night.

For a second he cursed his sudden empathy with the girl. Things had been much easier when he simply hadn't cared about the consequences of his actions. Never before had he felt sorry for what he had done to a pleasure slave. Was it just his mother's speech that had changed his mind about it? No, he suddenly remembered, he had already felt terrible last night. Maybe it was because she was a mortal. They were pathetic by nature, it was no surprise that one would be quick with pitying them.

Anyways - there was something he had to do, and he really wanted to get this over with.

He took a deep breath. "Layla, I want to apologize for what has happened yesterday. The evening did not go as planned and I never intended it to escalate as it did."

Loki sure hoped that she had understood what he had just said, because there was no way he would ever repeat these words. Layla still just stared at him, but for a moment, he thought that he had seen her eyebrows twitch.

"It will not happen again", he added.

She opened her mouth, hesitated and then said, "Good to hear", her voice toneless. First, Loki was relieved that she was obviously still capable to hear and talk; then, he felt a tiny wave of anger rise up inside of him - he had just apologised to her, he, a _god_ , had apologised to a mortal slave, and she dared to mock him? - but then he decided to let her take a few liberties with him today. He would have to teach her that this was a once-only exception later, of course, but for now, he just wanted to see a little spark in her eyes again. He just didn't know what to do for that.

He eyed her and realized that she was looking out of the window again.

"Would you like to take a walk?" he asked, gesturing at the window, and when she turned her head, he could clearly see a small ray of hope on her face.

But then she furrowed her brows. "Where's the catch?"

Loki shook his head. "No catch. Just a little walk outside of the palace with me."

"With you?" she repeated and raised an eyebrow, and then muttered, "So much for no catch."

Loki had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised by her sudden defiance against him. In normal circumstances he would have chastised her now, of course, but at this very moment, he was too relieved to see her come back to life again to be angry at her.

"Fine", she agreed eventually and rose from the chair.

She was wearing one of the longer dresses he had given to her, and he had to admit that she looked beautiful in it. Layla felt his gaze lingering on her body and became uneasy, and Loki hurried to smile at her.

"Let us go."

He offered her his arm and Layla looked at him with a raised brow.

"I'd rather feed my arm to the dragon in the forest than link it to yours", she spat and walked out of the room without looking back at him.

Loki stood still while his gaze followed her, a perplexed expression on his face. It took him a second until he could follow her into the corridor, and he was trying hard to suppress a grin as he did.

He had obviously underestimated the girl. She was stronger than she looked like and clearly not as delicate as he had expected her to be, and while he and Thor might have given her a few cracks, she was definitely far from broken.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Layla closed her eyes and held her face into the sun. The garden of the palace was beautiful, but when she closed her eyes and just let the sun warm her cold skin while breathing in the fresh air and listening to the birds twittering, she could easily pretend to be at home, sitting in her parents' garden. She had loved to sit in the garden, before - well, before _now._ She tried not to think about it, kept her eyes shut tightly and gave her best to imagine sitting beneath her favourite tree at home with a book in her hands, but the ugly truth kept crawling back into her mind. She didn't even realize that she was crying before she felt teardrops running down her face.

"What is wrong?" a soft voice next to her asked, and she opened her eyes.

Loki was sitting next to her in the middle of the garden, eyeing her with a confused expression. She didn't answer. What should she tell him, anyways? What did he _think_ was wrong?

Loki furrowed his eyebrows and waited for Layla to answer. He didn't understand what had happened; the girl had been holding her face into the warming sun for a while, looking almost contented and peaceful, and then, out of nowhere, he had suddenly realized that there were tears spilling down her face.

"Do you wish to go back inside?" he asked, but she shook her head. "Why do you cry, then?" he asked and hesitated before he wiped her tears away with a soft touch of his thumbs.

Layla looked up at him. "I miss my home", she said quietly, her voice small, and Loki returned her look.

"I see", he said softly, thinking about it for a few seconds, then added, "Do you want to tell me about your home?"

"I lived on a farm with my parents and my little sister", she said after a minute, in an gentle tone, "It was a very small town, others would have called it boring, but I loved it. When I had finished the farm- and housework, I always sat down beneath the trees with my favourite books and enjoyed the sun. That's what I was just thinking about."

"You can go into the library, if you want to. We have thousands of books, many in your language, too."

Layla nodded silently. That sounded great, actually, but she was determined not to show her enthusiasm to him. She didn't know why she had even told him about her home. Sometimes, when he was so soft and nice to her, it was just so alluringly easy to forget what a monster he could be.

"Can we keep going?" she asked, and he stood up and offered her his hand that she ignored.

They walked for another ten minutes in silence. Layla was unsure of what he was expecting from her. Was she supposed to talk to him? Entertain him? Show him gratitude for the gracious possibility of a walk?

When she heard a distant neighing, she turned her head, and suddenly Loki had an idea.

"Would you like to visit the stables?"

She looked up at him. "I'd love to", she admitted, and Loki smiled as he guided her into the right direction.

When they arrived at the stables and pastures, Layla's mouth fell open. This part of the palace was huge, there were a dozen stables and there must have been hundreds of horses inside of it. Only a few were outside of the stables though, and Layla looked at them longingly.

When a tall, brown-haired man in a grey leather uniform approached them, Loki smiled and raised his hand to greet him, and Layla admired this friendly, calm side of him for a second.

"Your Highness", the man greeted them, "I apologize, I did not know that you were to visit the stables today. Your horse is not prepared yet."

Loki made a dismissive hand gesture. "It was not planned, Brios." He glanced at Layla. "Little one, would you like to ride out?"

Her eyes lit up in an instant. "Yes, yes please!" she exclaimed before she could stop herself, and Loki chuckled at her enthusiasm.

The other man, Brios, smiled down at her. "You can choose one of the horses in the small stable over there; they are a bit smaller and will have just the right size for you. Your Highness, I will prepare Njáll for you."

Layla glanced at Loki, unsure of whether she was actually allowed to just walk away and go into the stable, but Loki just nodded with a smile, and she didn't have to be asked twice.

 _"Small stable my ass"_ , she thought when she entered it - it was still bigger than any stable Layla had ever seen in her life, and there were at least fifty horses in it. She walked through the stable, looking at the box stalls and admiring the beautiful animals. When she passed a black horse with brown mane that was standing in the last corner of its box stall, she stopped. It reminded her of one of the horses her family had. When she walked up to the door, it shied away from her.

"Shh, girl, it's fine. I'm not going to hurt you", she hushed, and the horse snorted. Layla smiled sadly. "Yeah, that's what I think when that bastard of a prince tells me he's not gonna hurt me, too. But I mean it."

The horse eyed her carefully and Layla returned the look. It took a step towards Layla, and she slowly reached out her hand. For a short moment, it backed away, but then it approached Layla again, watching her curiously.

"Hey, can I come in?", she asked quietly and the horse carefully pushed its snout against Layla's hand. "I'll take that as a yes", she said and opened the door as quietly as she could. The horse whickered and backed away a bit, and Layla stood still until it approached her freely again. It took them a few minutes until the horse actually allowed Layla to touch it, and she ruffled its mane gently. "You're such a pretty one, hm?" she murmured, running her fingers through its fur.

She hadn't noticed Loki and Brios who had entered the stable a minute ago. "Damn, I should have told her to avoid that one", Brios had said when he had seen Layla enter the box stall and had been about to hurry towards her, but Loki had held him back. "What is wrong with this horse?" he had asked, and Brios had raised his shoulders. "It's incredibly shy and won't let anyone touch it. When anybody comes too close, it rears up and bites. We found it in the forests, but it won't be tamed."

Loki had watched Layla curiously as she  approached the horse. "Let us give her a try", he had said, and Brios had frowned. "If it bites -"

"- then I will heal her", Loki had interrupted his equerry, "But maybe she will surprise us."

When the horse finally allowed Layla to touch it, Brios stared at her, clearly taken aback. "I have been responsible for the stables for centuries", he said sulkily, "And I've never had a horse I could not tame. And this, this -"

"Sometimes, it is not a question of competence, but of trust", Loki said and watched the slave girl stroking the horse that was obviously enjoying her touch. When she turned around and saw Loki and Brios standing in the stable's door, she smiled.

"Hey horsy, wanna ride out with me?" she whispered, and the horse whickered. "Let's go then!"

She approached the two men, the horse following her confidently.

"Can I ride this one?" she asked, and before Brios could answer, Loki nodded. "Sure."

Layla smiled. "What's its name?"

Brios chuckled. "We called her _Little Bitch_ so far, because she kept fighting us and -" When he saw Layla's face, he fell silent.

Loki had raised a brow, and looked at Layla. "Why don't you choose a name?" he suggested, and Layla's face brightened up.

"Really?"

When Loki nodded, she looked at the horse with a smile. "How do you like Alamea?"

The horse snuggled its snout into Layla's hair and huffed, making Layla giggle. "Hey, that tickles. Okay then. You wanna ride out, Alamea? Can I sit up? Aw, thank you."

Before Brios could argue that Alamea hadn't been saddled yet, Layla mounted the horse and it whickered happily before it ran around Loki and Brios a few times. Layla laughed out and Loki watched her curiously, astonished by both the horse's and the girl's friskiness.

When he whistled, Layla looked up to see a beautiful black horse loping towards them.

"Wow, is that your horse, Loki? It's so beautiful!" Layla exclaimed, and it wasn't until Brios shot her a warning look that she realized that she had not addressed Loki properly. She felt her heartbeat stop. "I'm so sorry, Your Highness, I didn't - I didn't mean to - I forgot -"

Alamea seemed to sense Layla's sudden anxiousness and she snorted out nervously.

"I apologize, Your Highness", she said tonelessly and Loki noticed that she was on the verge of tears.

He waved his hand. "Do not worry about it."

Somehow he had enjoyed to see the girl act so carefree, and he didn't even mind her mistake. It was the first time that she had talked to him so light-heartedly, not to mention with a smile on her face, and he couldn't explain it, but somehow he had liked how she had used his name instead of a proper title. It had felt so - so _intimate_.

She still stared at him, clearly scared of having angered him, and he gave her a smile to calm her down. "Shall we ride out?"

"Yes, please, Your Highness", she mumbled nervously, and Loki had to suppress a sigh. He had preferred her carefree excitement to this.

They were riding side-by-side in silence for a few minutes. Layla calmed down when it became clear that Loki wasn't angered, and she enjoyed the ride too much to worry about anything anymore. She actually felt more relaxed than she had been in months. Somehow she had never realized how much she had missed sitting on a horse or just being outside in the nature with the sun shining down on her.

Loki, riding next to her, watched her attentively. She looked contented, almost happy, and he realized that this was the first time that he could see this expression on her face since he had purchased her.

"You had horses on your farm, yes?" he asked, trying to learn more about her.

"Yes", she smiled, "Two. We just got them a few years ago. My mom and I couldn't decide for names, so we allowed my little sister to name them", she giggled, "And now we have two beautiful, proud horses named Ernie and Bert." She laughed, and even though Loki had no idea why she found these odd names so funny, he smiled at her.

He loved her face when it was crying beneath him, begging him for mercy and sobbing out, but at this moment he decided that he found her quite beautiful when she was smiling, too. That was strange.

They stayed outside with the horses for a few hours, talking about this and that - Layla told Loki more about her family and their farm and Loki told her about Asgard and the nine realms - and it wasn't until Loki could hear Layla's stomach growl that he decided to return to the castle.

When they had brought the horses back into the stables and Layla had said goodbye to Alamea, she and Loki walked towards the castle together. It felt strange to her to be so close to Loki now; somehow she had felt safer around him while she was sitting on a horse, and she wasn't sure what to think of his sudden change of demeanour, either. These last few hours had been surprisingly pleasant. Loki had actually been an enjoyable company; he had been kind and charming and they had even been laughing together a few times. But the excursion was over and she had no idea what would happen when they got back to the palace.

They arrived in Loki's chambers and Layla fiddled around with her fingers, unsure of what to do.

"I will take a bath, I am sweat-soaked after our long ride", Loki said, "Would you join me?"

 _So this was it_ , Layla thought, her heart sinking. He had given her a few hours of freedom, and now it was her turn to be grateful and fulfill her duties, as he called it. She fought against the tears that were about to well up in her eyes and clenched her fists.

"Little one", Loki said softly, "I am talking about a bath, nothing else. If you do not want to join me, you don't have to."

And with these words he disappeared into the bathroom. Layla stared at the bathroom door, utterly confused by his behaviour. Maybe this was a trap, maybe he wanted to test her obedience. But he had said that she didn't have to join him if she didn't want to, hadn't he?

She decided to sit at the table by the window again. She had absolutely no desire to see the man that had raped her naked again, let alone sit in a bathtub with him. Looking out of the window, she thought about their ride today, about the beautiful, shy horse she had met, and she smiled. Maybe Ophelia had been right and Asgard was not as terrible as she thought.

 _If Loki could just always be the man he was today_ , Layla thought, _maybe I could actually like him and everything would be a lot easier._

When Loki returned from the bathroom and sat down next to her, she looked at him, relieved that he was already dressed again. His still wet, black hair was falling into his face, and again Layla found herself thinking that he was actually quite handsome. She looked away from him, ashamed of herself.

"I have been thinking about your daily routine", he suddenly said, "As you have noticed, I am usually not in my chambers until it is night, and I think it would be reasonable to give you an occupation for the times that I am not present. I have already dismissed my former chambermaid. Thus, I would like you to take care of my chambers from now on."

Layla frowned. He wanted her to be his chambermaid? Did that mean - ?

"You will make the bed, clean the chambers, refill the fruit bowl and the water can - well, anything that needs to be done in here. If you are unsure of anything, ask the head housemaid for help. I expect my chambers to be impeccably clean when I return in the evening."

Layla nodded slowly. "Does that mean - will that be my only duties from now on?"

Loki grinned at her. "No, my sweet. Only when I am away. I will keep my word and not let you endure anything like yesterday again, but I will certainly not dismiss you as my pleasure slave."

The girl looked at the ground, grievously disappointed, and Loki frowned.

"Do not look so sad, little mortal. For today, I allow you to take a break from all of your duties. And now let us dine."

When they rose from the little table and walked into Loki's dining room where two serving maids were already setting the table, Layla tried to fight back her tears. Loki's words echoed in her head - _"For today, I allow you to take a break from your duties."_

Of course she had known that her break was only temporary, she had known that her days would not forever be composed of cookies, riding and dining, but she had sought refuge in her belief that the prince would give her at least a few days after the horror of last night. But obviously, today was the only day that she could take a breath from the prince's cruelty; and it was already afternoon - so it was nothing more than a few more hours until everything would be back to normal.

She looked at Loki, who was cutting up a piece of light, tender meat on his table, and a sudden sickness came over her. The food looked delicious and her stomach growled loudly at the sight, but suddenly, she doubted that she would be able to eat a single bite of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alamea is the hawaiian word for treasure.


	15. I Know

Layla woke up early the next morning, and she let out a relieved sigh when she realized that the bed was empty. Loki had already left.

The last night had been just as surprisingly pleasant as the whole day had been - after their lunch, Loki had left her alone for a while and she had spent her time in the ridiculously huge library of the palace, and while Loki had had to take care of paperwork in the evening, he had allowed Layla to just lie down in the bed and read one of the books she had borrowed. When Loki had decided that it was time to go to sleep, he had pulled Layla in his arms, and it had only taken him a few minutes until he had fallen asleep. He hadn't even tried to touch her in any way she could feel uncomfortable with.

Layla still stiffened when he was so close to her, but eventually, she had managed to relax. She knew that it was irrational and strange, and yes, it certainly felt wrong, too, but somehow she felt comforted in Loki's embrace. There was just something about the way he was holding her in his strong arms that gave her this soothing feeling of being protected, and once he had fallen asleep, breathing in and out in an even rhythm, Layla had just closed her eyes and enjoyed the illusion of safeness while giving her best not to think about who it was that she was nestling up to.

But she was relieved that he had already left this morning, anyways - she had not forgotten that her break was over now. She went into Loki's dining room to have breakfast and then decided to visit Ophelia. It was no doubt the kind head housemaid she had to thank for the wonderful day of peace she had had yesterday.

When she entered the kitchen to ask for her, she was horror-stricken at the realization that every single person in the room had fallen silent when they'd seen her. They all stared at her with the same strange expression on their faces, and Layla felt her own face heat up. Before she could even ask for Ophelia, she already heard her voice.

"What is wrong with you, don't you all have work to do? If you have so much time to stop and stare at our new maid, then maybe I should double your amount of work!"

Everybody went back to work quite quickly, then. Ophelia smiled kindly and led Layla away into the small room they had had a tea in before the feast.

"How are you, my dear?"

Layla smiled. "I'm fine. Really. Ophelia, thank you so much. The prince has been incredibly kind yesterday, he has apologized, he's taken me to the stables and allowed me to ride out - it was wonderful."

The maid beamed at her. "I knew Queen Frigga would talk to him. Has he hurt you in any way?"

Layla shook her head. "Not at all. Thank you."

"No need for that, my dear."

Layla looked at her gratefully, then said, "The other ones, in the kitchen... have they all seen what - "

Ophelia shook her head. "No, don't worry about that."

"But why did they all stare at me like that?"

The elder woman sighed. "What happened at the feast - it has caused a bit of trouble. The word has spread and it has incured the lower classes' displeasure. Actually, you are the main topic in Asgard at the moment."

Layla stared at her. "I'm - what? But - but I thought - sexual slavery is not uncommon here, is it?"

"No, of course not. But the pleasure slaves used for public entertainment are usually willing ones. And to see the king and the prince of Asgard abuse an unwilling girl in front of a crowd, and even completely legally - it has prompted controversies in our society."

Layla was torn apart. She couldn't deny that it filled her with both satisfaction and hope that Asgard's society had come to question their cruel traditions of enforced prostitution, but she was not at all pleased to hear that she was the pivot of these controversies. She also didn't believe that the prince would approve of this development, and no matter how nice and kind he had been yesterday, there was no denying that he was a cruel and reckless man, and it wouldn't surprise her if he'd shift the blame for this on her.

Ophelia had watched her carefully. "Don't worry about it. Nobody can blame you for what has happened. It was the prince's own fault and if he's going to be angry at someone, he should be angry at himself."

Layla managed a weak smile. "But if the prince is angry at himself - who do you think he's going to take his anger out on?"

 

 

* * *

 

 

Layla dreaded the moment that Loki would return into his chambers.

She had asked Ophelia to show her everything that she was supposed to take care of as Loki's chambermaid, and Ophelia had even helped her a bit to prepare everything perfectly for the prince.

When Layla walked through every single room a last time, she found it immaculate. It was tidy and clean, she had changed the bedsheets and tablecoths, arranged Loki's books and paperworks, she'd filled the water can and the fruit bowl with what Ophelia told her to be his favourite fruits and she even brought a can of wine and a little tray with different cheeses, slices of meats and nuts and placed it on the little table in front of the window in case he might want to have a little snack and a glass of wine in the evening. She had also been in the garden and cut a few flowers to bring them into his chambers. To her, everything looked perfect. But she was convinced that, if Loki would return angry in the evening, there would be nothing she could do to prevent a disaster, anyways.

When she heard the door, she jumped up from the chair she had been resting on and hurried to greet Loki with a curtsy. "Good evening, Your Highness."

Loki looked at her, amusement on his face. "Good evening. Where did you learn the curtsy?"

Layla blushed. "Was - was it not -"

"It was adorable. But I do not recall you doing it before."

"I - I have not, your Highness. But I have been. talking to Ophelia today and she told me everything about the proper behaviour of maids and servants, and - yes."

Loki smirked. "I see. What else did she teach you?"

"I - um - that I should always address you properly, and she showed me how to prepare your chambers for you - and that I should always follow your orders, of course", Layla said and quickly added "Your Highness" after a second.

With a raised brow, Loki turned to face Layla. "I do expect you to address me properly, but it is not neccessary to do so after every single sentence, my sweet mortal."

Again, Layla blushed. "I understand."

Loki nodded. He approached the table, scanning the tray with food and the can of wine, and smiled approvingly. "I see that it has been a wise decision to have you as my chambermaid." He sat down and took a piece of cheese before he continued, "But as I have told you, I expect you to apply your attention to your other duties when I am back."

Layla froze. Her stomach suddenly felt like a tight knot. She had been trying so hard to prepare for this, but she had obviously failed.

Loki chuckled. "No need to turn white yet, little one. Sit down."

He poured two glasses of wine and Layla frowned when he offered her one of them. Did he want to get her drunk now? Did he expect her to be more willing when intoxicated? Or did he plan to make her drink so much that she would pass out and take advantage of her then?

Loki rolled his eyes. "Do not look so terrified. I would simply like to drink a glass of wine with you. No ulterior motives."

"You cannot blame me for expecting otherwise, can you?" Layla snapped and bit her lip when she saw his face.

"I assume that I cannot", he said slowly, "But I do expect you to show me a decent amount of respect. I also expect you to remember your last punishment for disobedience and I especially expect you to not want to require another one."

Layla turned white. "You - you promised -" she whispered and her voice broke.

"I did, and I intend to keep my promise. But I also intend to keep you as an obedient, respectful slave and I will do what is necessary for that. And now, sit down and drink."

She did, terrified of disobeying. The wine actually tasted wonderful, it was sweet and fruity and just delicious. For a moment, she looked at the prince sitting next to her. He must have heard of what Ophelia had told her about, but he didn't say a single word about it. She had been almost certain to be faced with his wrath in the evening, and here he was, sharing his wine with her instead.

"Did you like the library?" he suddenly asked, and Layla nodded.

"Very much. I've never seen a library so big."

Loki smiled. "I like it, too. I spend a considerable amount of my time there."

Layla smiled politely and emptied her glass of wine. She wasn't sure how to feel. Naturally, she was relieved and pleasantly surprised by his demeanour, but the constant fear of the moment where he would change back into the monster that she feared so kept her at the end of her tether.

After a few minutes of silence, Loki sighed. "I fear that I have still work to do, my little one. You may go to bed."

Layla rose from her chair and looked at Loki. "Thank you for the wine, mylord", she said quietly, and Loki nodded.

When she was done in the bathroom and lay down inside of the prince's big bed, cuddled up inside of the warm blanket, she couldn't take her eyes off of Loki. He was sitting at his desk at the other side of the room, reading and writing, and Layla could only see a few inches of his face, but she kept watching him carefully, still nervously waiting for him to turn against her.

His beautiful face, looking down at a paper with furrowed brows, was the last thing she saw when she finally fell asleep. And his beautiful face, looking down at her with concern in his eyes, was the first thing she saw when she woke up with a scream.

In her dream, she had been back at the feast - lying on the table, being held down by Thor, - and suddenly it wasn't Thor anymore that was holding her down, but the creature from the forest, and when it opened its mouth to reveal hundreds of sharp, white teeth, Loki's dark voice came out of its mouth, telling her that he had killed her parents and her sister - and that was when she had started to scream so loud that Loki had leaped up from his desk to hurry to her side.

"It was just a nightmare, my sweet, you are safe", Loki whispered into her ear, stroking her hair and her arm soothingly, and it took Layla a second to understand what had happened and where she was. She buried her face in his neck and cried.

Loki pulled her closer and gently rubbed her back. "Do not cry, you are safe, I am here with you", he soothed her, and suddenly, Layla backed away from him.

"Do you really think that would calm me?" she sobbed out, not caring about angering him anymore, " _You_ are what I'm scared of! You're the worst nightmare I've ever had!"

For a second, Loki just looked at her and their eyes locked. "I know", he said eventually, and if it hadn't been so absurd, Layla would have thought that she'd caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, "I know."

When he pulled her against his chest again, Layla stiffened for a second before she wrapped her arms around him in desperation, utterly confused about her conflicting emotions towards this man, and when he planted a soft kiss on her head, she closed her eyes and let the feeling of safety and comfort wash over her, regardless of whether it was the right, logical or reasonable thing to do.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Loki returned to his chambers in the next evening, it was quite late and he was not surprised to see Layla already in his bed.

He wondered why it didn't bother him at all that the girl was sleeping in his bed all the time. He had, in fact, not even told her that she should be sleeping in the spare room. His former pleasure slaves had always been sleeping there; he had only let them spend as much time in his bed as necessary and dismissed them once he had been satisfied. But somehow he found that he liked the girl lying next to him, even if it wasn't for his carnal desires. Her warm and soft body felt wonderful and he enjoyed to hold her tightly in his embrace at night.

She wasn't sleeping yet, she was reading a book that she quickly put aside when she saw him enter the bedroom.

"Good evening, Your Highness", she said politely, and he smiled.

"Good evening, my little mortal."

He walked into the bathroom and when he returned, Layla noticed nervously that he was only wearing light black cloth pants. Her gaze wandered over his perfectly sculpted upper body and his muscular arms and again, she found herself cursing at the ridiculous beauty of this man. When her eyes reached his face, she was mortified to realize that he was smirking at her. She blushed and quickly looked away.

"You are most seductive when you blush", he purred and sat down next to her.

Layla quickly pulled the blanket closer to her body.

"Do not hide yourself from your master, little one", Loki said and pulled the blanket away from her. "Come here. What were you thinking when I just caught you devouring me?"

"I wasn't -"

"Ah ah", Loki said warningly, "Do not lie to me. Tell me what you were thinking."

Layla's face turned red. "I thought - I thought that you're beautiful", she admitted reluctantly and Loki gave her a smug smile.

"Come closer to me", he said, his voice a little hoarse, and Layla did.

He tucked a stray curl behind her ear and let his hands wander down her cheek, her throat and her neck. Layla felt herself shudder under his gentle touch, and she wasn't sure if it was out of fear or out of something entirely different that she didn't even want to think about. She looked into Loki's green eyes and was confused to see nothing but tenderness inside of them.

"You are beautiful, too", he whispered, and his fingers trailed over her breasts.

She was wearing a nightgown, but she could still feel her body react to Loki's soft touch.

"Do you like being touched like this?" he purred, and Layla shook her head in silence.

Loki softly pinched one of her already hardened nipples and smiled when Layla let out an involuntary moan. She gritted her teeth when she realized, and Loki chuckled.

"There is no reason to be ashamed of your reaction", he crooned, "You see, I will ravish you - whether you like it or not. I am certain that it would be easier for you if you just accepted it, and who knows - you might like it."

Layla didn't answer. When Loki pulled down the gown and revealed her naked breasts, she closed her eyes. He cupped them tenderly and let his thumbs stroke over her nipples, and she had to hold back another moan. This was so wrong, she should not crave his touch - but her body thought otherwise. She opened her eyes and saw the prince watching her closely, his eyes dark with desire and lust. He pulled her a bit closer and brushed his lips against Layla's, and Layla couldn't help but admire the softness of his lips for a second. When he deepened the kiss and let his tongue touch hers, she tried to back away, but he held her firmly, but very gently and carefully in her place and she couldn't do anything but let him kiss her. He buried his hands in her hair and his tongue played with hers in an almost seductive way.

When Layla suddenly realized that she was returning Loki's kiss, she whimpered against his lips and he let go of her immediately.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, concern on his face, and Layla shook her head. He seemed to understand then, because he gave her a knowing smile and said, "Did I not tell you to just accept it? Cease fighting me, little mortal. You stand no chance against me, anyways."

As he pressed his lips against hers again, Layla closed her eyes and parted her lips for him. Maybe he was right. This would be easier if she let him do what he would do anyways.

 _Just imagine that this is a normal date,_ she told herself, _and you just had a wonderful dinner, and this spectacular,_ _gorgeous man is now kissing you._

Feeling a little bold at this thought, she even raised her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. Loki made an approving noise at this and deepened their kiss while pulling her flush against his body. She could feel his perfect upper body press against her soft breasts, and to her utter dismay she realized that she became aroused at the feeling.

She barely registered that Loki made her lie down on her back. He was still caressing her breasts almost lovingly, still kissing her passionately, and her body was definitely enjoying the attention.

When she felt him above her, pressing his body against hers, she stiffened a bit; the position reminding her of too many painful memories, but Loki noticed and interrupted their kiss to look into her frightened eyes.

"Shh, calm yourself, my sweet. I won't hurt you", he soothed, and Layla gave her best to relax.

Loki caressed her neck and her arms and just whispered soothing words into her ear until her heartbeat had slowed down again. Then, he carefully brushed his lips against one of her nipples, and Layla couldn't hold back a moan anymore. Loki growled at the sound. He swirled his tongue around her nipple and was delighted when he felt the girl tremble in arousal. His hands wandered over her naked thighs and crawled underneath her nightgown and at the same time, he nibbled at her nipple, which earned him another soft moan. The sound made his loins stir almost painfully, and it took him a considerable amount of self-control to not rip off his pants and plunge into the girl in this very second.

 _Be gentle_ , he reminded himself,  _gain her trust first._

He glanced up and noticed that Layla had closed her eyes, finally enjoying what he was doing, and he grinned smugly. While he suckled on her other nipple, sending a new wave of arousal through Layla, his hand finally reached between her legs, and when his fingers stroked over her wet folds -

Layla suddenly jerked and let out a frightened cry.

Loki let go of her immediately and watched her scramble backwards, trembling in fear now instead of arousal, her eyes widened with terror.

When she met his eyes, she swallowed. "I'm sorry", she whispered, "Please don't - don't punish me - I just can't - I can't -"

Loki took a deep breath. "I understand. I will give you more time", he heard himself say, and he was just as surprised at his words as Layla.

That was _not_ what he had wanted to say. He had wanted to tell her that it was time for her to pull herself together; that he had been as gentle as he could and that he was not willing to wait any longer. He had wanted to tell her that she was dripping wet, that her body obviously wanted him just as much as his body wanted her, and that he expected her to end her childish resistance and spread her legs for him _right now._

But when he had looked into her scared, teary eyes and heard her stumble her apology, he had suddenly opened his mouth and said something entirely different.

"Thank you so much, Your Highness", the girl whispered, and Loki managed to give her a smile. His erection was throbbing painfully by now.

When he looked down at the mortal girl again, he sighed. She was still trembling. He took his blanket and tucked her in before he went into the bathroom again, and while Layla stared at the closed bathroom door, confused by the prince's sudden empathy, the prince took another bath to take care of what should have been the girl's duty today.

When his hand slid up and down around his cock, he was surprised to realize that it was not the mental image of Layla crying and begging beneath him that brought him his release, but rather the memory of her willing kiss, her soft moans and her aroused trembling, and it wasn't until he imagined to spill his seed inside of her while she was trembling and shaking and moaning in her very own orgasm that he finally reached his climax.


	16. Too Good To Be True

Layla had already been awake for almost half an hour, but she was still lying in the bed to watch Loki sleep. He was lying next to her on his side with a light smile on his lips, his soft hair tousled and wavy around his head.

It had been more than a week since the feast and Loki had been nothing but gentle with her. After his first attempt of getting intimate with her after the feast he had not tried to do so again. He'd kissed her a lot of times and he had often caressed and kissed her neck, her arms and her breasts - but that was where he had drawn the line. He had never even _tried_ to touch her anywhere from the waist down, and while Layla was extremely relieved, she was also utterly confused. She had never expected him to be so careful with her.

And it wasn't just the physical contact that had changed betweem them. Loki had shown her the whole palace, he'd taken her to the market of Asgard and they had ridden out two more times so Loki could show Layla the beauty of Asgard's nature. They'd had fun, they had talked a lot and even laughed together, and Layla had enjoyed the time with him more than she would ever have thought possible.

She could also no longer deny that she had grown to like Loki's touch. He was always so gentle with her now, tender, almost lovingly, and he kept asking her if everything was alright, careful not to cross her boundaries again. It was obvious that it was - quite literally - hard for him; Layla could see the enormous bulge in his pants, after all, and his voice always became hoarse after a while, but he seemed to have decided to deny himself his pleasure for her sake, and Layla was endlessly grateful for it.

By now Layla didn't only enjoy his touch, but sometimes even initiated it - in the beginning, it had been out of pure good will to show him how much she appreciated his consideration of her well-being, but after a few times she actually felt herself longing for his touch. She was still scared of the day he'd urge her to sleep with him again, but he did everything he could to still her fears and she felt more and more comfortable around him.

Right now, when she looked down on him as he was lying in the bed, so peaceful and vulnerable in his sleep and so beautiful with his glowing skin and sleek hair, she couldn't help but smile. She reached out a hand and brushed a strand of dark hair out of his face. He looked gorgeous. She remembered how she had once thought that she would have fallen for him if she'd met him in other circumstances, and she suddenly wondered if she might still be able to do so now that she was getting to know this gentle, caring side of him.

Before she could reflect this somehow appalling thought, he opened his eyes and gave her a sleepy smile. "Good morning, darling."

She felt a strange, tingling sensation in her chest at his new nickname. "Good morning, Your Highness."

"You are too far away from me", he murmured, "Come here." He spread his arms lazily and she crawled over to him and brushed her lips against his. He growled approvingly and pulled her close into his embrace, deepening the kiss. "Much better", he breathed and she smiled against his lips.

Loki looked deep into her eyes. "You are smiling, sweet one", he stated, and her smile widened.

"Yes, I am."

He squeezed her gently. "I like it when you smile."

Layla ran her hands through his hair. "I like it when you make me smile", she retorted and Loki planted another kiss on her lips.

"I should do it more often, then", he purred, and Layla grinned.

"I would never contradict you, Your Highness."

Loki chuckled and it sent a pleasant vibration through Layla's body. She pressed her face into the soft skin of his neck and breathed in. He always smelled so good, even though she's never seen him use any kind of perfume. It had to be his own, personal scent. When he stroked over her head, she sighed contentedly.

"Do you feel good, little mortal?" Loki asked, and Layla hummed approvingly, her face still nuzzled into his neck.

Loki smiled. It had not been easy to get to this point. He had decided to take it slow with Layla for a while to make her feel more comfortable around him - mostly for his little slave's mental state, but also to respond to the growing civil unrest in Asgard. As soon as Layla had felt a little more relaxed around him, he'd arranged a few excursions with her to show the people of Asgard that he was treating her better than anyone could expect a pleasure slave to be treated.

Both of his plans seemed to have worked out - by now the girl let him touch her without fear and she even initiated their little demure intimacies from time to time; and Asgard's society had started to calm down again, too. The picture of the prince showing a smiling mortal slave the beautiful world of Asgard had quickly outstripped the fading picture of the crying slave girl on the royal feast table.

Loki let out a sigh. Yes, his plan had worked out, but it had been difficult, to say the least. By the norns, he had fought in wars and battles, he'd seen more of both his enemies and allies die than he could possibly remember and he had lived with his simpleminded brother for thousands of years, but to retain his self-control on this mortal girl for the last week must have been the hardest challenge he had ever faced. There had been times when he had thought that he might just explode from his unmet desires.

But it was definitely worth it, he thought as he looked down at the girl in his arms.

He had to admit that he had enjoyed the time he'd spent with her. Of course, he would definitely have enjoyed it more if he'd been able to fuck her thoroughly after their little excursions, but apart from her feminine charmes, there was no denying that she was an endearing, lovably woman that had a strange effect on him. From time to time Loki had been baffled at how comfortable he'd felt with her around, and he'd even caught himself imagining what it might have been like if he'd met her in different circumstances - and without her being a mortal, of course - but he'd shoved that thought aside quickly.

When Loki heard a quiet little snore, he smirked. He had not noticed that Layla had fallen asleep again, her body still pressed against his chest and neck, and he decided to stay in bed with her just a little longer.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"How is the girl?"

Loki smiled when he looked at his mother. When she had asked him if he'd like to take a walk through the beautiful palace gardens, he had known that there was something she wanted to talk to him about. So this was it.

"Much better than I had expected."

Frigga nodded. "Good. Your behaviour has already done enough damage, I am glad to hear that at least the girl is recovering quickly."

"Mother, you know that I have never intended to -"

Frigga interrupted him. "I know, my son. And I must admit that it has been a good idea to show the people how you take care of her now. It has settled the minds."

Loki nodded. "As I have expected."

Frigga looked at him thoughtfully. "Is this the only reason for how you treat her lately?"

"Mother?" Loki looked at her, confused.

"You seemed to be quite contented around her. I have been wondering if there was a reason for it."

Loki remained silent for a moment, struggling for words to express his feelings. "She is - indeed a more pleasant company than I'd originally thought her to be. Especially considering the fact that she is a mortal."

A silent smile played on the corners of the queen's mouth. "I am proud of you, Loki. You've done well. It has certainly not been easy to gain the girl's trust after what -"

Loki interrupted her. "Mother, please - can we not talk about this night anymore?"

Frigga tilted her head to the side. "I am relieved to see regret and even shame about your actions in you", she said softly and reached for Loki's hand to squeeze it lightly. Then, she frowned. "Now that we speak about it - did Thor ever talk to the girl?"

"As far as I know, he did not. But I do not think that it will be necessary anymore, either."

"Maybe not for the girl", Frigga said sternly, "But most certainly for Thor. I will talk to him."

For a while they walked through the gardens in silence.

"How is Father?" Loki asked eventually, and Frigga sighed.

"I think he will take longer this time."

"You seem worried", Loki stated, eyeing her carefully, and Frigga shook her head.

"Not about your father, Loki. About our kingdom and about Thor. Odin has been in the Odinsleep for less than two weeks, and we have already faced the possibility of a war with Jotunheim and a riot of our own people. I would have expected more from Thor. I thought he'd become wiser by now. Your father has clearly overestimated him by already crowning him king, even if only temporarily."

Loki didn't answer. His mother's words were music to his ears, but he did not want to let it show. But Frigga only shot him a glance and laughed out. "Oh Loki. Do not try to hide your feelings from me. I am your mother."

When Loki gave her an apologetic smile, she linked her arm to his. "You should not enjoy to watch your brother fail, but help him to succeed instead."

Loki smirked. "What am I the god of again, mother?"

Frigga laughed. "I know that there is much more in you, son."

Loki squeezed her hand as they slowly returned to the palace.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Just like almost every day, Layla had gone to visit the library as soon as she had been done with Loki's chambers. She could borrow as many books as she liked to read them in Loki's rooms, but she also enjoyed the atmosphere in the big hall, and so she always sat down at one of the tables to read there.

It was an hour after her arrival at the library and Layla had just started to delve into an old book about asgardian tales when a maid approached her.

"You are Layla, right?"

Layla looked up in surprise to see the maid standing in front of her. She was very beautiful, had long blonde hair and blue eyes, and she eyed Layla curiously.

"Yes", Layla said, and the girl smiled.

"I am Anjali. I am King Thor's chambermaid. He has asked me to bring you to his chambers."

Layla had smiled at the young woman, but her smile fell in an instant when she heard Thor's name.

"No need to worry", Anjali said quickly, "As far as I know, he wants to apologize for what he - um - "

She blushed, and so did Layla when she realized what she was talking about. She lowered her gaze. Did everybody in the palace know about this miserable evening?

"I am so sorry", Anjali said ruefully, and Layla gave her best to smile at her.

"He wants to apologize?" she asked in disbelief when she suddenly realised what else the maid had said, and Anjali nodded.

"I heard that the Allmother has given him a right royal dressing down", she giggled, "And he had to promise her to apologize to you. I've heard that she was quite angry that he hasn't done so already."

Layla shook her head. "I'm more than able to live without an apology from him."

"I totally understand that, really. But - um - you should still come with me. It's not really a request, it's more of - well, an order."

Layla tightened. "Now?"

When the girl nodded, she rose from her chair. "Okay, then."

She followed Anjali out of the library and through several long hallways. The maid was chattering incessantly, but Layla was barely able to listen to her. Her heart was racing and she had a queasy feeling in her stomach. She had thought that she might be lucky enough to never meet Thor again, and now he wanted to speak with her alone? That was the last thing Layla had expected. She almost snorted out when she remembered Anjali's words. Did he seriously want to apologize? What was it with these royals and apologizing after comitting unforgivable crimes? Couldn't they think before they act?

She felt awfully bad and it seemed to worsen with every step. When they finally reached a huge wooden door and Anjali knocked, Layla felt as if an iron fist was crushing her heart. A deep voice that Layla recognized in an instant answered, and Anjali looked at Layla.

"Just go in, accept his apology and go", she advised her with a sympathetic look and walked away.

Layla's gaze followed her, her heart heavy. She stared at the door, took a deep breath and entered the room.

Thor was sitting on a big couch at the other end of the room and Layla felt weird when she walked up to him, feeling his gaze lingering on her. When she reached him, he patted the seat beside him and Layla swallowed before she sat down on the couch, as far away from the god as possible. She didn't want to look at him.

"Well, girl", he rumbled, "It looks like I've been a bit rough with you last week."

Layla didn't answer, she stared at the ground, fiddling with her fingernails and longing for the quiet peacefulness of the library.

"I didn't mean that. We were just having fun, my brother and I."

It took Layla quite a bit of self-control to not snort at this pathetic explanation. _Your brother at least had the balls to give me a proper apology_ , she thought. When she felt Thor staring at her, she looked up at him. He seemed to wait for her to say something.

"Okay", she croaked out, and Thor grinned.

"You did have a bit of fun too, didn't you?"

Layla's eyes widened. Did he seriously ask her if she had enjoyed her rape? What on earth was she supposed to answer to that? The truth would certainly anger him, but she couldn't bring herself to lie, either. She just couldn't.

Thor's eyes had narrowed. "You do know that I am the king of Asgard? Most women would kill to be in my bed."

"Then why don't you fuck them", Layla blurted out, and bit her tongue in the very next second. _Shut your mouth, Layla!_

Thor stared at her. "What was that?"

Layla gritted her teeth. _Shut your mouth now._

"Do you have any idea who you're talking to, girl? I'm the king of Asgard! You're a pleasure slave in this palace and you should feel honoured you got permission to pleasure the king himself!"

_Keep quiet, Layla. Don't say it._

Thor eyed her, anger written on his face.

 _"Just go in, accept his apology and go"_ , Layla suddenly heard Anjali's voice in her head, and she looked at Thor.

"I accept your apology, Your Majesty. May I go now?"

That was obviously _not_ the right thing to say. Thor rose from the couch, towering over her, and Layla held her breath.

"You accept my apology? My _apology?_ Who do you think you are, slave?"

"I - I'm sorry -" Layla stuttered, and Thor suddenly grabbed her hair.

"Damn right, you should be sorry. You don't seem to know your place in this world." He yanked her up and Layla yelped.

"Please, I'm sorry - I know my place, I promise!"

Thor was still holding her up by her hair and tilted his head a little so he could look into her eyes. "What is your place?"

"I'm a pleasure slave", Layla said, her voice strained.

"Show me!"

Layla stared at him.

"Do you reject my command, girl?"

"Co - command?" Layla stammered, and Thor shot her an annoyed glance.

"You're a good fuck, but that seems to be all."

Layla cried out when Thor dragged her over the ground by her hair for what felt like an eternity, and when he yanked her up and let go of her, she let out a relieved sigh. When she realized that he had pushed her onto his bed, she screamed out.

"No! Let me go!"

Thor laughed. "See, you still don't know your place."

She leaped up, but Thor was faster. When Layla felt his heavy body pushing her into the mattress, she could feel her heart breaking into pieces. This couldn't be happening again. It just couldn't. She must be dreaming, this couldn't be real.

Thor leaned down and forced his lips on hers, roughly pushing his tongue inside of her mouth, and for a second, Layla considered to bite him just as she had done with his brother once, but she didn't dare to.

He ripped down her dress and her undergarments and grinned at the sight of her naked body.

"It's a shame my brother's healed you, I like to see my marks on a woman. You'll need a few new ones, I think."

"Please", Layla said tonelessly, "You can't do this again -"

Thor smirked at her. "I am the king of Asgard, girl. I can do whatever I want."

He suckled on her neck, bit into it to leave red marks behind, and then let his lips wander further down her body until he sank his teeth into one of her breasts. Layla cried out from pain and Thor moaned. He rubbed his body over hers and she could feel his enormous manhood harden.

His hands were everywhere. They were kneading her breasts, grabbing her rear, touching her waist and her legs. And then Thor kicked her legs apart and shoved his hand between them.

"Please don't do that", she wanted to yell, but she could only manage a whisper.

Thor's weight pushed her into the mattress without mercy and Layla could barely breathe properly. Thor ignored her pleading and roughly pushed two fingers inside of her, making her whimper. For a moment she thought of Loki and how careful he had been with her recently, and she found herself longing for him.

"You're not wet", Thor stated in a displeased tone and he seemed determined to change it, because he began pushing his fingers in and out of her at a fast pace, watching her in anticipation. It stung terribly and Layla cried silently, her head turned to the side.

"Stop crying, girl", Thor snarled and finally pulled his fingers out of her. With one hand he was holding Layla down and with the other one he began to undress himself. Layla felt horror-stricken when she realized that this was exactly what had happened at the feast.

"Your Majesty, please -" she started, but Thor covered her mouth with his big hand.

He was naked by now and Layla sobbed out beneath Thor's hand at the sight of his strong, muscular body and the thick cock that was throbbing in anticipation. He rubbed it at her entrance and she tried desperately to close her legs, but she had no chance against Thor. She wanted to scream out when he shoved the head of his big cock into her, but his hand still kept her mouth shut.

 _Loki_ , she thought desperately, _Loki, where are you?_

Thor grunted and slowly pushed himself deeper. He found the slow pace maddening, but the stubborn girl refused to get wet for him and her tightness was almost painful. Finally, his whole length was buried inside of her, and with a low groan he withdrew himself a bit and then rammed it back in. The girl tried to wriggle away from him and screamed, the sounds muffled from his hand, and Thor moaned in return. He began to fuck her fast and hard, bumping against her cervix with every deep thrust, and he threw his head back in ecstasy.

"Girl, you feel so good", he moaned, "You like your king's cock inside of you, don't you?"

When Layla cried something against his palm, he groaned approvingly. He thrusted into her even harder and finally, he moaned out loudly, buried himself to the hilt in Layla's hot, wounded core and spilled his seed deep into her. He stayed on top of her, his cock still inside of her body, and pulled his hand away from Layla's mouth. She took a deep breath but remained silent, just sobbing out quietly.

 _I should have known,_ she thought, almost emotionless, _this last week had been too good to be true. I should have known that this would happen._

For a minute or two they stayed like this, Thor still lying on Layla, buried inside of her, until he suddenly began to move his hips again.

"By the norns, girl, you're so tight, I'm already hard again", he moaned, and Layla let out a loud, desperate sob.

"Please", she whispered, and Thor looked down at her, anger written on his handsome face.

"You still want to reject me?"

Layla shook her head. By now, she would have done anything he wanted from her if he just let her go.

"Good", Thor mumbled, thrusting in and out of her again, "Then tell me what an honour it is to pleasure your king!"

Layla swallowed, and Thor forced himself deep into her, making her cry out in pain. He suckled on her throat, leaving more lovebites behind, and started to roughly knead her breasts.

"Say it", he groaned into her ear, and Layla took a deep breath.

"It is an honour to pleasure my king", she said, her voice shaking.

Thor moaned out, fucking her hard and relentlessly again, pushing his muscular body against her delicate one with every thrust. When the tip of his cock pushed against her cervix again, Layla cried out in pain, and Thor smirked at her.

"See how much you enjoy to pleasure your king", he hissed, and Layla had to hold herself back from spitting at him. "Say it again!" he added.

Layla knew what he meant. She swallowed hard before whispering, "It is an honour to pleasure my king."

Thor shot her an angry look. "Louder!"

Layla screamed out in desperation. _"It is an honour to pleasure my king!"_

Neither Thor nor Layla noticed when the door opened a second later. But they did hear the cold voice that suddenly filled the room.

"Now look what an eager little whore you are for _your king_."

 


	17. A Pleasure Slave, Nothing More

Layla shrieked at the sound of Loki's voice and tried to leap up beneath Thor's body to look at him.

Thor roared of laughter, never ceasing his merciless rhythm. "Do you want to join us, brother?"

"I came here for a different reason", Loki said coldly, "I did not expect to find my oh so poor, violated slave so wanton and willing beneath you."

Layla, torn between the agony Thor forced her to endure and the humiliation of being raped in front of Loki, snapped her head in Loki's direction when she heard his last words. "No", she panted, short of breath from Thor's fast pace, "Loki, I didn't - it's not -"

She felt as if her whole head exploded into sharp, white pain, and it took her a few seconds to realize that Thor had slapped her.

"You do not talk to another man when you are fucked by your king, girl", he snarled, and Layla whimpered. There was a strange, metallic taste in her mouth, and her head hurt terribly. She was distantly aware that there had been something that she had wanted, _needed_ to say to Loki, but the only thing that she could focus on right now was the atrocious pain in her head.

Her body bounced up and down beneath Thor who kept hammering himself into her, grabbing her hips so hard that he bruised them, and her surroundings became blurred to Layla. She couldn't even see Thor anymore, she could only hear his groaning from far, far away. When she felt his lips beneath her ear, he breathed something into it, so quietly that she was sure Loki didn't hear it - she could barely hear it herself.

"Tell me how much you love my cock inside of you, or I'm going to ram it into your ass."

Layla tried to wriggle out of Thor's grip, she threw her head to the side to catch Loki's gaze, but Thor's huge body was blocking the view. When she looked up at Thor, he narrowed his eyes expectantly and plunged deep into her at the same moment, and the only thing Layla could think of at this very moment was how she'd never survive it if he put his cock _back there_ , too.

She swallowed and took a deep breath. "Your cock feels so good", she gasped out, trying to hold back her tears, "It feels so good inside of me!"

Thor moaned out. "Do you enjoy being fucked by your king?"

"Yes", Layla screamed out, "Yes, my king!"

He thrusted into her a few more times until he finally came again, even more ecstatic than the first time, and then rolled down from Layla's battered body. He rose from the bed and let out a deep, satisfied sigh.

"Brother, whatever you've paid for her, it was a bargain - I've never fucked a cunt so deliciously tight like this one", he smirked at Loki, who was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, eyeing his mortal slave with an expression of loathing and rage.

"Take her, if you want to", Thor added, "I'm done with her for today. And send a chambermaid if you see one, your whore has stained my bedsheets." With these words he walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Layla had curled up into a ball, her arms wrapped around her own body in a desperate try to keep herself from falling apart. When she heard steps approaching her, she lifted her pounding head to see Loki standing in front of the bed. _Thank God._ She looked up at him with wide eyes, endlessly grateful for him to be there now, and reached out her arms so he could pick her up.

Loki ignored the gesture. "Get up", he said coldly, and Layla winced at the heartless sound of his voice. "Get up!", he repeated loudly, and when Layla still didn't react and just stared at him in disbelief, he grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the bed. She yelped in pain and fear.

"Your Highness, please - my prince, Loki", she cried, but Loki ignored her. When he tore the door open and dragged Layla into the hallway, her heartbeat stopped. "No, please, Your Highness, my dress -"

"You will not dress yourself", Loki hissed, "If you want to be a whore, then let the whole palace see it."

Layla stared up at him with wide eyes. She didn't understand what was happening. Why didn't Loki hug her, why didn't he soothe her and carry her into his rooms to take care of her? Why was he angry at her, there was nothing she had done wrong, was there? He must know that she hadn't been with Thor willingly, right?

"Please, I didn't - your brother -"

Loki yanked her upwards and looked into her widened eyes, his own dark with fury and madness. "You will not speak of my brother again, or I will rip out your tongue, do you understand me?"

No, she didn't understand anything. Where was her sweet Loki, the Loki who cared about her, who was tender and gentle, who didn't want her to cry, who protected her? She stared into these cold, dark eyes and couldn't believe that it was the same person that had been lying in his bed next to her this morning, stroking her head and gently kissing her.

When Layla glanced down at herself, she sobbed out. She was completely naked, her body bruised and battered with countless red and blue marks, her mouth and her breasts were smeared with blood and her thighs with both blood and Thor's seed that was leaking out of her body. Her whole body hurt terribly, and the way Loki dragged her over the cold stone floor made it even worse.

"Please", she sobbed out, "Loki - my Loki - please -"

"Stop whining, you are pathetic", Loki hissed, tightening the grip he had on her arm.

A few maids and servants had already seen them, but they had all changed their directions immediately, too frightened - or clever, Loki thought bitterly - to cross their path.

He was furious. He had made a fool out of himself. He had not touched this whore for more than a week; he had been  _cuddling_  with her instead of fucking her like he should have, he'd spent his free time with her and - and he was foaming with rage at the thought - he had begun _to like her_. He had begun to see more in her than just a pleasure slave.

And while he had been holding himself back to allow her to recover, she had chosen to sneak into Thor's chambers to pleasure him instead of Loki - because it was _such an honour to pleasure her king._

He couldn't believe it when he had heard the familiar voice from behind Thor's door - _It is an honour to pleasure my king,_ the faithless little whore had said - and when he had opened it to see his little mortal beneath his brother, he had suddenly felt as if his whole world had been turned upside down. He couldn't even describe the feeling that had taken over him at this moment; he didn't find a name for the dazzlingly white emotion that had awakened inside of his chest and that was mercilessly gnawing and shredding his insides and ripping apart his heart, and when he had recognized a hint of anger in this confusing turmoil of emotions, he had clung to it with relief and gratitude.

His grip on her arm tightened even more and she cried out, stammering incoherent words he could not understand and did not care about, anyways. Nothing she could say would matter to him, never again. He had been stupid enough to be taken in by her once, he'd not fall for her again.

When they finally arrived at his chambers, he threw her into the room and she cried out in pain when she hit the hard floor. She tried to get back up, but Loki shoved her down, straddled her chest and grabbed her throat, making her cough out.

"Did you enjoy it?" he hissed, "Did you enjoy being fucked by the mighty Thor, the king of Asgard? Did you like his cock inside of your body, you fucking slut?"

Layla stared up at him with big, fearful eyes. She felt as if she was about to lose her mind. She didn't understand what she had done wrong - she had not done _anything_ wrong, she thought, utterly confused, had she? - but she hurt so badly, and yet Loki - the sweet, caring Loki who had been riding out with her, who had held her when she had been crying, who had been so nice and gentle with her - this sweet Loki was screaming at her, so she must have done _something_.

 _Maybe_ , she thought, _not able to think straight anymore, maybe he is right, and maybe she deserved whatever it was he would be doing to her now._

Loki could literally watch the mortal's mind shatter into pieces, and he relished every second of it.

"How many times did you sneak into his rooms in the last week? Tell me!" he yelled.

"I didn't", Layla gasped out, her voice trembling, "Please, I didn't - Thor -"

When he heard his brother's name, Loki squeezed Layla's throat and she gulped, not able to say another word.

 _Thor gets everything,_ Loki thought, blinded by his rage, _Thor gets the hammer, Thor gets the throne, and now Thor even gets my fucking whore._

For a brief second, he considered choking the girl to death, but when he saw her gag and whimper beneath him, another unfamiliar, strange feeling settled down inside of his chest. Was that pity? Concern? He couldn't identify it, but it made him let go of her throat, and the girl gasped for air.

As soon as she had taken a few desperate breaths, she blurted out, "I didn't sneak into his chambers, he called for me - I didn't want this - he forced me -"

Loki narrowed his eyes at her and let his gaze wander over her body, looking at it properly for the first time. The girl was beaten and bruised, bloody even, and Loki had to admit to himself that even a blind man would be able to tell that the girl's injuries were not the marks of a voluntary, mutual coupling.

When his eyes met hers again, they were silently begging him to believe her, and again, he felt this disturbing sensation in his chest. As a tear trickled down the girl's face and Loki instinctively reached out to wipe it away, he suddenly realized what the feeling was. He _cared_ for her. _He actually cared for her_. That was why seeing her buried underneath his brother had affected him the way it had, that was why he had lost his temper when he'd thought that she had slept with him voluntarily, that was the reason for the conflicting, unexplicable emotions that were fighting inside of him.

 _This is ridiculous_ , he thought, taken over by both astonishment and anger at himself, _I cannot possibly care about a pleasure slave, a mortal, a whore._

He'd had a dozen of pleasure slaves over the centuries and never had he ever felt more than sexual lust for them. He didn't understand why this one had somehow found its way into his mind - _or his heart_ , he corrected himself in disbelief.

 _I have to rectify this_ , he thought, looking into Layla's beautiful eyes.

He would not let himself turn into the pathetic fool that had developed feelings for a mortal whore that his brother had decided to use as well. Loki looked at Layla with determination in his eyes. If he had forgotten what she was, he might have to remind himself of her place in his life.

Layla's eyes widened when Loki opened his pants. "Please don't", she whispered tonelessly, and Loki avoided her gaze.

"You are my pleasure slave, girl", he said without any emotion in his voice, and Layla shuddered when she saw his dark, empty eyes, "There is no need for me to keep you if you don't fulfill your duties."

He hesitated when he saw the desperation in Layla's eyes, but then he gritted his teeth and positioned himself at her entrance. She was still wet from Thor's violation and again, Loki stopped his movements. Layla looked up at him with big, pleading eyes, and her lips were moving, silently begging him to have mercy on her without actually being able to make a sound. She could clearly not believe that he was about to take her. Loki felt his stomach churn.

 _This is only a pleasure slave, and you will treat her like one_ , he thought, angry at his own indulgence with a mere slave girl, and he grabbed her arms and turned her around in a swift movement. _A pleasure slave, nothing more,_ he thought as he held her down by her neck and thrusted into her from behind.

Despite his contradictory feelings, Loki couldn't help but admire the tempting silkiness of the girl that welcomed his body in, and he moaned out in pleasure. Layla was squirming and writhing beneath him, and his cock, already fully buried inside of her, twitched at the feeling. He thrusted in and out of her and was just about to lose himself completely in the pleasure Layla's body gave him when he suddenly heard her crying. Startled by the noise, he halted his movements.

"Stop crying", he ordered, irritated that her crying bothered him in the first place, but she didn't react. "Stop crying, Layla!" he repeated sternly, and this time, she listened to him. Loki took a deep breath and resumed his fast movements.

Layla was lying on her stomach, the side of her face pressed into the stone floor, and fought against the tears that were still streaming down her face. She was desperately waiting for the moment when she'd escape this nightmare. It should be anytime now that Loki would wake her up, and he'd cradle and soothe her, he'd promise her that it had been nothing but a bad dream, that he was here with her and that nobody could hurt her anymore.

But the Loki of her nightmares was relentlessly pounding into the gaping wound Thor had left behind, and this time, Layla didn't seem to be able to wake up.

Loki felt frustration rise inside of him. It had been more than a week, he should have been able to come after mere seconds, but he just couldn't let go. He fastened his movements, grimly determined to come inside of his slave, but the way she was lying beneath him, so dispassionately, so miserable, distracted him from the pleasure he was feeling. He closed his eyes and thought of last night - how Layla had moaned when he had fondled her breasts, and how she'd kissed him passionately, burying her hands in his hair - and finally, he reached his climax, groaning out in relief when he shot his seed into the girl.

When he pulled out of her and stood up, he watched her, still torn between his emotions. She didn't move.

"Get up, slave girl", he said casually and flicked his wrist to dress himself in more comfortable clothes.

Layla got up from the floor, her arms embracing her own body, and Loki frowned. She truly looked deplorable.

And it should not affect him nearly as much as it did.

"You will go to bed now. No, not my bed", he added, when Layla turned around to walk towards his bed, "You will sleep in the spare room from now on."

She turned back around and looked at him for the first time, and he pressed his lips together at the sheer helplessness in her eyes.

"The spare room?" she said shakily, and Loki nodded.

"This is where my whores usually sleep. You will only come to my bed when I call you to pleasure me."

Layla looked as if he had slapped her. For a second, it seemed as if she wanted to say something, but then she just nodded and lowered her gaze again. She staggered over to the door of the spare room, already reaching out to open it, when she suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked at Loki pleadingly. "Please don't make me sleep all alone", she said with a feeble, shaken voice, and she sounded like a little child.

Loki clenched his fists. He had to hold himself back from pulling her into an embrace, and he found this sudden urge to console a slave alarming. He'd clearly overstepped the mark with this mortal. No surprise that he was confused by his emotions. He had to treat her just the way she deserved to be treated for a while, and everything would go back to normal.

"I do not share my bed with slaves", he said coldly and could clearly see tears well up in Layla's eyes.

"But -" she whispered, and he interrupted her.

"Look at yourself, girl, you're covered in both my brother's and my seed! Do you really think any decent man, let alone a prince, would want to share his bed with a whore like you?"

She flinched visibly at this. When she looked down, Loki could see tears falling down to the ground, bursting on the hard cold stone floor like little bubbles.

"Can I please take a bath first?" she asked, her voice feeble.

Loki snorted. "I would highly recommend it to you."

He turned away from her and entered his dining room, closing the door behind him before he rammed his fist through the wooden table that shattered underneath the weight of his fury and confusion.

Layla was standing still in the middle of the prince's bedroom, her gaze glued to the ground. She was utterly confused. This man that had just treated her like dirt couldn't possibly be the same man that had told her how much he loved it when she smiled this morning. When she heard an ear-deafening noise from the dining room, she ran into the bathroom. Whoever this man was, he was obviously mad at her, and she did not want to face his wrath again.

She ran herself a bath and when she sat down in the big tub, slowly and carefully, she felt tears welling up in her eyes again. It would have been easier, she suddenly thought, if Loki would have always been the monster he was right now. But to lull her into a false sense of security and protection, to make her believe he cared about her and to even manipulate her into liking him, too, only to take it all away from her again - that was just cruel.

 _It's my own fault_ , she thought, _this man has been cruel from the beginning. He has raped you several times, he's threatened to murder you, he's cut you with a knife, he's humiliated you in public - but_ , a soft voice in her head whispered, _he's also comforted you when you've had a nightmare, he's kissed your tears away, he's called you darling..._

She washed herself, carefully to not hurt herself even more than she already was - though she doubted that any of her physical injuries could hurt possibly more than the sorrow she felt inside of her. When she was done, she wrapped herself up in a towel and walked out of the bathroom. Loki was sitting at his desk, writing something down, and he didn't even look up at her.

"I have already put your clothes into the spare room's wardrobe", he said casually, and Layla swallowed.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I - I will go to bed, then."

Loki didn't react and Layla left his bedroom. She sat down on the bed in the spare room and looked around. She had only been in here a few times to do the dusting. It was small, but comfortable; it had a bed, a desk and a wardrobe and a week ago, Layla would have given everything to call this her very own room. She didn't understand what had changed. Would she really prefer to sleep in her rapist's bed to sleeping in her own?

Yes, she thought, as pathetic and ridiculous as it was, but it was the truth. She wondered if this was the Stockholm syndrome she'd once read about in a book, and she almost laughed bitterly at the thought.

When she put on a nightgown and lay down in the bed, giving her best to ignore the pain that her body was in, she missed Loki's warmth so badly that she could almost physically feel his absence. She didn't know what was worse - the pain of missing him or the embarrassment that she felt because she missed her tormentor so much. When she finally closed her eyes, it was a restless sleep full of nightmares that she fell into.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki had never been one to be distracted easily. Especially when he was reading, writing or working on something that kept his mind fully occupied, the world could have crashed down around him and he wouldn't even notice until he'd look up from his books.

But this evening, he just couldn't focus on his work. Whatever he tried to do, memories of Layla kept showing up inside of his mind; memories of how she was crying beneath him and how she was begging him to not let her sleep alone, and it didn't give him a feeling of satisfaction or power as he'd expected, but rather a disturbing hunch of sorrow and remorse.

When he finally gave up trying to read the chapter he'd already read three times without comprehending a single word of it, he lay down in his bed, gazing into nothingness. He knew very well how severely Layla had suffered from his and his brother's actions; he'd been the one, after all, who had awakened her to hold her in his arms when she'd had one of her countless nightmares again; and he felt uneasy when he imagined the torture she had gone through today.

Over the last week, she had already flinched when he'd accidentally brushed her thighs or her hips. And now she had not only been taken by Thor but by him, Loki, too. He swallowed hard when he remembered how she had looked up at him when he'd towered over her in Thor's room. There was no doubt that she had thought he had been there to save her. She had even reached out her arms, apparently expecting him to pick her up and help her. Instead, he had hurt her even more. He'd humiliated her by dragging her through the hallways naked, he'd insulted her and he'd taken her, and then he'd insulted and humiliated her even more by dismissing her into the spare rooms in the most vicious way.

 _I had to do this_ , he thought grimly, _She needs to know that she is nothing but a slave to me, and so do I. It was for the best._

But still, the memory of her tear-stained face and her bruised body was haunting him, and he couldn't find the inner peace he needed to fall asleep.

It was an hour later and he was still staring at the ceiling when Layla suddenly started to scream. Without thinking twice he jumped out of his bed and ran into his spare room, knelt down in front of the bed and started stroking Layla's head.

"Darling, wake up", he whispered, "It's alright, I'm here, I won't hurt you again -"

He fell silent when he realized that this wasn't the first time he'd told her that. He took a deep breath, sat down on the bed and shook Layla carefully. When she opened her eyes and saw Loki sitting next to her, he thought that she might try to hit him, or scream at him to go away, or at least back away from him - but to his utter surprise, she threw herself into his arms and pressed her face into his chest, sobbing heart-touchingly. He wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her head.

"Shh, darling, it's alright", he whispered, and Layla nestled up to him as close as she possibly could.

"Loki", she sobbed out, "I'm so sorry - I don't know what I've done wrong, but I'm so sorry -"

Loki gritted his teeth. "You have done nothing wrong, darling. I am the one that needs to apologize. I am sorry, Layla." He cradled her to his chest and rocked her back and forth. "You, _mín elskan_ , are the most beautiful and precious little thing that I have ever seen. I am sorry, for I am unworthy of you."

Layla's breathing hitched at his words and she looked up to him, utterly confused. Loki smiled at her and then he gently brushed his lips against hers, and he felt relief when Layla returned his kiss. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed her softly until they were both breathless.

Eventually, Loki lay down beside her, pulling her into his embrace and covering her face with soft kisses, and as he could feel Layla falling asleep in his arms, he finally felt a peaceful sleep coming over him, too.

He wasn't worried about consequences of this night - he would ensure that Layla would not remember anything of it in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "mín elskan" is old norse for "my darling".


	18. Fairytales Can Happen To Anyone

The next morning, Layla started up from her sleep early. For a moment, she was confused - where was she and where was Loki? - but her memories of the previous day decided not to have mercy on her and they were quickly overwhelming her with heart-shattering intensity. She closed her eyes for a second and tried to collect herself. It wouldn't help her to fall apart; it would only last longer to pick herself up again if she did.

When she opened the door a tiny crack to look into the other room, she was relieved to find it empty. Loki wasn't there. She tiptoed into his bedroom and cringed when she saw a few small spots of blood on the floor. _Her_ blood. She took a deep breath. Just when she thought Loki had reached the ceiling of possible humiliations, he'd break through it by letting her wipe up her own blood from the floor he had raped her on.

She went into the bathroom and frowned when she saw her reflection. There were no more bruises or marks on her body; she looked just as she had before yesterday. She suddenly noticed the strange absence of pain, too - she had been hurt terribly yesterday, every step should be painful, but it wasn't. She felt perfectly fine.

Layla pressed her lips together when she realized the reason behind her wellbeing. Loki must have healed her. He must have been in her room last night to heal her injuries - but was that everything he'd done to her? And why did she not remember any of it? She looked into the reflection of her eyes as she found herself thinking about last night. Actually, she could not remember anything at all. She knew she'd cried herself to sleep at some point, but she couldn't remember anything after she had fallen asleep, which was strange, because over the last weeks she'd had so many nightmares and she'd always remembered every single one of them. But last night was - blank. Nothing.

Layla sighed. Maybe it was better like this. She doubted that she'd like to remember any of the dreams she'd had after what had happened yesterday.

The thought of having been touched by Loki in her sleep made her feel awkward, and she decided to take another bath before she dressed herself and began to clean up Loki's chambers. She started with the bloodstains on the stone floor - just because she was getting sick everytime she looked at them - and was just about to change the bedsheets when she heard a soft knock on the door. The sound made her freeze in an instant and she found herself incapable to say a word. Another knock. Layla still stared at the door like a deer in the headlights.

It could have only been a few brief seconds and Layla felt distantly astonished at how many frightening thoughts could stumble through her terrified mind in this short amount of time - _it could be Loki who wants to rape or punish her again - but no, he wouldn't knock on his own door - even worse then, it was Thor - but his knock would have been much louder - or could it actually be one of them, trying to lull her into a false sense of security by knocking so softly only to enjoy the terrified realization on her face when she'd open the door unsuspectingly? - would they be so cruel? - yes, they would, wouldn't they - though it might also be a maid or a servant who'd been told to bring her to whomever was supposed to hurt her now - maybe it was just Ophelia, though, but could she really be so lucky? - no, that was unlikely -_  and then, when the door suddenly opened, she hid underneath the bed without thinking twice.

"Hello?" a female voice called, and Layla relaxed a bit. Just then realizing that she was hiding underneath the prince's bed like a little child, she crawled out of her hiding space and slowly raised her head, glancing at the door.

A tall, incredibly beautiful woman returned her look with a relieved smiled. She had dark skin and long, black curls, and her eyes looked as if they were golden.

"Thank Odin, there you are", the woman said, and Layla got up slowly. "I was sent to look for you. The King and Queen wish to speak with you."

The brief sensation of relief that Laya had been allowed to feel vanished in an instant, replaced by a terrifying feeling of blank desperation. Her feelings must have been very apparent, because the woman quickly added, "The real King, I mean, not Thor. King Odin, the Allfather."

Layla frowned. That it was not Thor who wanted to see her was certainly a good thing, but would Odin really be a more pleasant option? Why would he want to see her, if not to punish her for whatever it was she'd done this time or to - well, to do what obviously every one of these royal bastards were all too eager to do to her?

"No reason to worry", the woman smiled kindly, "Trust me. Oh, I am Shiari. I am a maid for the royal couple. I will accompany you."

Layla eyed her suspiciously. Thor's maid Anjali had told her not to worry, too, and it turned out that she had been more than right to be worried. She sighed and approached Shiari carefully. When she reached her, she realized that her eyes were indeed golden - it looked both beautiful and a bit scary at the same time.

"I'm Layla", she mumbled, giving Shiari a shy smile, and the maid beamed at her.

"I know."

When they walked down the hallway, Layla couldn't help but admire the beauty and elegance of the woman next to her. She moved with such grace and self-assurance that it looked like she was a part of the royal family instead of one of their maids.

"Are you - are you a slave, too?" Layla asked carefully.

Shiari smiled at her. "No, I am not. I am working for the King and Queen as their maid, but I am paid for my services." When she noticed a bitter expression crossing Layla's face, her voice became quiet. "But I was a slave when I came here."

Layla's eyes widened. She'd never thought of the possibility of beeing freed from slavery. Her surprise must have been very obvious, because Shiari gave Layla another warm smile.

"I was purchased from a slave market in Vanaheim and brought here as a chambermaid for the queen. But after a few decades I fell in love with another worker here, and when he was promoted, he asked for my freedom instead of a wage increase." She sighed. "I wouldn't have allowed him to make such a sacrifice for my sake, but he did not tell me until it was already settled. And then he proposed to me."

Layla smiled at the woman. "That sounds like a fairytale."

Shiari cocked her head. "Fairytales can happen to anyone, Layla."

Layla huffed, but she remained silent. _Yeah_ , she thought bitterly, _I guess the men of Asgard are already standing in line to propose to the little mortal whore of the prince._

Shiari gave her a compassionate look that made Layla feel even more pathetic, and she quickly asked, "And you are happy with your husband?"

"Oh yes, I  am. Oh, I think you know him, he told me about you. He's the Crown Equerry."

"Brios?" Layla said, surprised, and Shiari nodded. "And he told you about me?" Layla added, and Shiari laughed out.

"He was beside himself when you've managed to tame the horse he couldn't handle."

Layla smiled. "She was just shy. It wasn't that hard."

"Well, you've impressed him."

Layla looked at Shiari again. "Um, so - a slave can be freed?"

Shiari cocked her head again. "Theoretically, yes. It is not common, but it is possible. If you or somebody willing to free you has something to offer as an exchange, for example. Your family can also pay for your freedom, if they have enough money and your current master agrees, but slaves are quite expensive. And of course, your master can always decide to let you go."

"Wow", Layla said sarcastically, "I can't even decide which one of these possibilities is the least realistic one in my case."

Shiari didn't seem to know what to say to that, and Layla felt a bit of remorse for being so snarky.

"I know what has happened to you", Shiari said eventually, "And I can only imagine what you are going through. But it will get better, believe me. And maybe you should - well, you would suffer the least if you would submit to the prince."

Layla stared at her. "I should just let him rape me?"

Shiari sighed. "It's not considered rape if you're a pleasure slave. It's your duty to pleasure your master. I know", she added when she saw Layla's expression, "I know how you feel about it, I find it disgusting, too, but that's just the asgardian law. It's your duty, and if you refuse to fulfill them, your master is allowed to inflict severe punishments on you. He can have you flogged or locked up in jail without any food for days. It would all be in accordance with the asgardian law."

Layla shook her head frantically. "That's insane!"

"Not in Asgard."

"But - but Ophelia, the head housemaid, she's told me that there have been disturbances because of what has happened at the feast -"

Shiari nodded. "Yes, that's true. What happened there was very - uncommon, even for Asgard. It is perfectly fine for everybody that pleasure slaves are used against their will, but nobody wants to see it happen publicly, you see?"

"No!" Layla shook her head, "No, I don't get that! You mean as long as nobody has to see how we suffer, they're fine with it?"

"Basically, yes. It is simply inappropiate to show the using of an unwilling slave in public, and to have the king and prince do it made it even more divisive. The people of the lower class were appalled. The Queen was very worried about possible riots."

"But there haven't been any?"

Shiari shook her head, looking rather disappointed. "It was all forgotten rather quickly when you were seen in perfect health and mood with prince Loki by your side just a few days later."

Layla stopped dead in her tracks. "Is that why he's been so nice to me? It was just - just a show for Asgard?" she whispered, her voice suddenly unable to work properly. It felt as if somebody had just punched into her stomach, and she felt queasy.

Shiari looked uncomfortable. "Well, I - I don't know -"

Layla didn't even listen to her anymore. She was so stupid. Had she seriously been thinking that the prince of Asgard had begun to _care_ about her? That he'd become a nice person, basically overnight? That he could possibly _like_ her? She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. He'd wanted to calm down his people. That's why he had healed her, so nobody would see her injuries. That's why he had taken her to ride out, to the market and to the other places they had visited. To parade her around like a doll, to prove everyone that he was treating her oh so nicely. And, she thought with a thick lump in her throat, that's why he'd talked to her as if she was a normal person, as if she meant anything to him at all - that's why he'd made her smile and laugh, that's why he'd been so careful and gentle with her - to make her feel comfortable around him so she would appear to be a happy, carefully treated, valued maid instead of a frightened and tormented slave.

And here she was, thinking that scrubbing the floor clean of her own blood had been the worst thing the prince had ever done to her.

"Layla? Can you hear me?"

Shiari must have called for her a few times already, because she looked at her with serious concern in her eyes. Layla managed to fake a bright smile, and it felt like a painful grimace on her pale face. "Yes. I'm fine."

The maid in front of her obviously knew she was lying, but she just looked at her with a deep sadness in her eyes. "We're there. This is the chamber you are expected in."

She knocked, and a female voice said, "Come in."

"Thank you for bringing me here, Shiari", Layla heard a thin voice say, and it wasn't until Shiari smiled and said "You're welcome, Layla", that she realized that it had been her very own.

"If you ever need anything or anybody to talk to - you can always come to me", Shiari added warmly, and this time, Layla's smile was sincere.

"Thank you", she whispered, and Shiari smiled and turned around.

Layla took a deep breath and opened the heavy door - and the sudden memory of the exact same situation taking place on the day before crashed down on her like a cold wave of water. Her throat suddenly felt tighter than before, and something was wrong with her chest, too; there was something pressing down on it, something heavy, she couldn't breathe anymore - it felt as if an iron hand was trying to crush her ribcage - and then, black flies were whirling around before her eyes, she could hear them buzz, too - something was _wrong_ , she _couldn't breathe_ -

And then, a smooth, cool hand touched her upper arm and a strong arm gently guided her somewhere. She felt something soft beneath her, but didn't realize that she was sitting on a couch. Somebody pressed something against her lips, and she opened them obediently and was grateful when she felt cool water running through her dry mouth and parched throat.

She never knew how long she was sitting there, gazing into nothingness, trembling in every limb while queen Frigga was sitting next to her, soothing her and stroking her back and shoulders. When she finally came back to her mind, she blinked and looked around, confused, and she became even more confused when she saw the unfamiliar woman sitting next to her.

"Um - what - I'm so sorry for - for this -"

"You have no reason to apologize, child. Do you feel better?"

Layla nodded, and Frigga smiled at her. "I am Frigga, the queen of Asgard."

Layla's eyes widened and she attempted to stand up and make a curtsy, but her knees were still weak, and Frigga gestured her to sit down.

"There is no need for such formalities, we are alone, my dear. I wished to speak with you."

The girl wanted to be polite, to at least address the Queen properly, to show her gratitude for the mercy she had proven to have with her in the past - but somehow, she felt a wave of cold anger rush through her whole body instead. This was the _queen_ , and she still let every man in her kingdom rape whomever they wanted to as long as they happened to be slaves. How could she allow this? She pressed her lips together to not say anything unwise.

Frigga let out a sigh when Layla didn't answer. "I am aware of what has happened between you and my sons. I wanted to see how you feel."

It took all of Layla's strength to not huff at this. _Oh, I'm perfectly fine, mylady, I'm busy enjoying being raped over and over again by your brutal bastards of sons._

"I'm fine", she mumbled instead and bit on her tongue to keep herself from saying anything else.

"I doubt that you are fine", Frigga said with a frown, "And I would appreciate an honest answer."

"Well, how do you think I am?" Layla blurted out, "And what would you do if I told you the truth?"

 _God damn it_ , she chastised herself, _could you keep your mouth shut for once in your life?_

"I would ask you if there was anything I can do for you", Frigga said gently, and Layla gritted her teeth furiously to refrain from answering "You could decapitate your sons and serve me their ugly heads on a silver tray."

"Anything that would make your life in our world a bit more comfortable", the queen added.

Layla looked at her. "Just let me go", she whispered, knowing very well that this was a lost case, and as she'd expected, Frigga shook her head.

"I cannot let you go, my dear. You are property of the royal house of Asgard. I understand -" she added when Layla frowned, "- that this must be very confusing for you, as there is no legal slavery in your world, but you are in Asgard now, and our law -"

"I know", Layla interrupted her, "Your law says that I am nothing, not even a person, just the property of your son, who can do whatever he wants to me."

When Frigga didn't answer, Layla felt some kind of satisfaction for at least shaming the woman a little.

"But why am I here, then? According to your law, your sons haven't done anything wrong, have they?"

Frigga shook her head slowly. "They have not, technically. But the law that I as the queen have to respect and the opinion that I as a woman and mother have of your situation may be worlds apart from each other. And while I cannot ignore our law, I can and will do anything feasible to allay your grief."

Layla suddenly felt tears in her eyes. "But if you don't agree with your law - you are the _queen_ , why don't you -"

"I am the queen, not the king, my dear. I may hand out advices to my husband and son, but I do not make any decisions."

"And your - your husband - he approves of slavery?"

"Slavery is an essential part of our society, child. It always has been and it always will be. Neither my husband nor I condemn it in general, but while I believe in a more considerate treatment of maids and servants, my husband - he -"

"- could not care less about petty slaves", Layla finished Frigga's explanation bitterly.

 _Too bad the sons take after their father and not their mother_.

"Didn't he want to talk to me, too?" she suddenly remembered, and Frigga shook her head.

"My husband is still in the Odinsleep. It was me who sent the maid for you."

"So, Thor - I mean, King Thor - he's still the king?" Layla said, the fear obvious in her voice, and when Frigga nodded, she started to stammer, "Could you - could you - um -"

Frigga took her hand. "I am sorry, my dear. As for now, Thor is King of Asgard and has every right to do as he pleases with any royal property."

Layla closed her eyes for a second. And then a thought struck her like lightning. "My family! Could you tell me if they're okay? And let them know that I'm fine?"

The queen frowned. "Where is your family?"

"Well, still at my home. When these warriors came, they only took me and left my parents and sister behind."

Frigga nodded slowly. "I will do my best", she said, and finally, she could see a genuine smile on Layla's face. "Very well, my dear. If you ever require my assistance, please ask one of my maids to bring you here."

Layla nodded. "Thank you, Your - Majesty?" she said, unsure of what she was supposed to call Frigga, but it had obviously been the right choice of words, because Frigga smiled as she stood up to accompany her to the door.

"Oh", Layla suddenly exclaimed, "I - I forgot - um -"

"What is it, dear?"

Layla blushed. "I didn't want to ask the - the prince, but - I -"

Frigga smiled. "You have been given a potion to avoid pregnancy until you take the antidote."

"Thank God", Layla murmured.

She doubted that there were many things that could worsen her situation right now, but being pregnant with that cruel god's offspring - yeah, that sounded like a mouldy little cherry on the rotten cake that her life had become.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki returned to his chambers in the late evening, and he was pleasantly surprised to see Layla coming out of the spare room to greet him with a curtsy, her gaze glued to the floor. When he had left her bed this morning, carefully removing every memory of the previous night, he'd wondered how she would behave when she'd see him again, but obviously, she was smart enough to not provoke his anger.

"Would you like a glass of wine, Your Highness?" she asked without looking up at him, and he approached her quietly and lifted her chin with his fingers, making her flinch slightly at the touch.

"You will look at me when you are speaking to me", he ordered, and Layla looked into his green eyes and nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Good girl." Loki noticed a furious blush at his praising and smirked. She had obviously decided to be obedient, but it didn't seem to be easy for her.

When he sat down at the table and realized that Layla was still standing in the middle of the room, he clicked his tongue impatiently, and she hurried towards him and poured him a glass of red wine. Loki gestured at the second glass, and Layla hesitated before she poured another one.

"Sit", he ordered, rather annoyed at how she was standing motionlessly beside him, and she sat down immediately, staring at the table with a stony expression on her face.

"Drink", he sighed, rolling his eyes. He liked her new obedience, but he didn't want to order her around for every step he wanted her to take.

When Layla took a sip of her wine, she frowned. It tasted different than the one they'd had before, it seemed to be much stronger, and she didn't want to risk any loss of control when she was around Loki. But Loki was watching her closely, and she could tell that he expected her to drink more than just the sip she'd just taken. She closed her eyes when she took two big gulps. It was even harder to be around the prince than she'd feared. Her constant awareness was exhausting, every single one of his movements made her wince, and the worst thing were her memories. She didn't even know which ones were worse - the memories of him raping and abusing her that seemed to break her heart into little pieces, or the memories of how he had smiled at her, kissed her and whispered lovely little lies into her ears that were shattering the remaining shards of her heart now that she knew that it had been nothing but pretence.

"You have been at my mother's today", Loki said eventually, and Layla stiffened.

"Yes, Your Highness", she said carefully, and he looked at her.

"What did she want from you?"

Layla could feel her heartbeat fasten. What was she supposed to tell him now? Should she lie? Should she tell the truth?

"I would recommend you to answer me truthfully, little one", he said softly.

"She wanted to know if she could do anything for me", Layla said quickly.

Loki frowned. "Why?"

 _Because she's ashamed of how her fucked up sons treat other women_ , Layla wanted to say so badly that she could already feel the sweet taste of those words on her lips.

"Why, little mortal?" Loki repeated, and his voice was dangerously calm.

"I - I think she's - um, just - worried -"

Loki raised his eyebrows. "About a mortal slave?"

It was a good thing he was the god of lies, he thought, because of course he knew his mother was worried about the girl - his mother would worry about a beetle if it was about to be crushed - but damn it, he did not like the fact that his mother had actually gone so far as to talk to his slave girl.

"About an innocent, tortured being", Layla hissed and closed her eyes a split second later. "I'm sorry, Your Highness", she whispered, avoiding his gaze.

Loki had to hold back a smirk. There it was again. Her defiance, her resilience, her strong, still unbroken mind. He shouldn't enjoy it, but he did.

"Careful there, slave girl", he said quietly, and Layla nodded. "What did you tell her?"

Layla looked at him, clearly trying to predict whether he would punish her for her request or not. "I asked her to find out if my family is alright."

Loki frowned. "And if they are?"

"To tell them that I am fine."

Loki raised his elegant brows again. "You want them to be lied to?"

"It would help them to feel better, and it wouldn't help anybody at all if they knew the truth", Layla mumbled.

"I see", Loki said, slightly surprised. "I would have thought that you would ask her to let you go", he said then, and when Layla turned red, he chuckled quietly. "Ah, I see. You did."

"Of course I did", Layla said and suddenly looked into Loki's eyes with determination. _I will not be laughed at for asking for my freedom_ , she thought fiercely.

Loki nodded. "What else did she say?"

"Just that I can come to her whenever I feel the need to."

"Ah." For a second, Loki eyed her with narrowed eyes, then he gave her a crooked smile. "You will not feel the need too, though, will you?"

Layla furrowed her brows. "N-no?"

"No", Loki confirmed, "You will not have any reason to complain to her, or ask her for another favour, or talk to her about anything that is between you and me."

Layla swallowed.

"Did you understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Loki smiled. "Very well, my sweet little mortal", he purred, and emptied his glass of wine.

When he gave Layla a look that told her to do the same, she drank the wine reluctantly. It was strong, she could already feel a certain lightheadedness, and she suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten anything at all today.

She clenched her teeth when Loki refilled their glasses. "Um, Your Highness - I don't think -"

"Oh, I do", Loki interrupted her, "I want you to be a little relaxed tonight."

Layla closed her eyes when she realized what he was hinting at. She thought about Shiari's advice to just submit to Loki, she thought about the conversation with Frigga and how she had absolutely no chance at all to ever escape this nightmare again, and she thought about what Loki had said to her a while ago - that he would take her, willing or not, and that it might be easier for her if she just gave in to him - and suddenly, it only took her a split second to come to a decision.

Loki raised his brows in surprise when his reluctant little mortal suddenly drank her whole glass of wine in one go. He had planned to make her relax a bit by giving her some of the stronger asgardian wine - he didn't want to hurt her the way he had yesterday, but he did intend to ravish her again, and he had thought that a little wine might help her to let go and maybe even enjoy it a little bit. But he had not expected her to accept his offer so willingly.

After two more glasses, Loki finally decided that Layla had had enough. Her cheeks were red, her eyes a little glazed, and she had already knocked over her glass twice, the second time apologizing with "Totally sorry, Your Prince - I mean, My Highness".

She was amusing, Loki thought, but he did want her to be conscious when he'd take her. He already felt the effect of the wine, too.

Layla pouted when he let the bottle disappear.

"I believe that you have had enough, my sweet."

To his surprise, Layla started to giggle. "I've already had enough after the f-first sip, but I thought that's what it's all about, right, get me sloshed to get me laid?"

Loki had no idea what she meant with that, he assumed that it was some kind of midgardian slang, but it had obviously been incredibly funny, because Layla's giggling turned into guffawing.

"Oh god, my best friend would be in - in heaven now", Layla gasped, "Rebecca always said I couldn't stay a fucking virgin with 25 - and how I should just go to more parties and get drunk till I'm brave enough to just hook some hot guy up and - and finally get screwed -" She was laughing hysterically by now, tears running down her cheeks, and Loki frowned, confused by her strange demeanour.

"That would not have been a wise decision", he said, just to _say_ something, but somehow, Layla began to howl with laughter at his words.

"No, it wouldn't have", she panted, guffawing between her words, "I mean, it wouldn't have been nearly as fun as being raped by a fucking prince from another planet -"

And at these words, her hysterical laughing suddenly turned into loud weeping as she burst into convulsive sobbing.

Loki just stared at her.

When she didn't stop wailing after what felt like an eternity to Loki, he cleared his throat. "Little one - what - is wrong?"

He could tell that Layla wanted to say something, but she simply couldn't. She seemed to be barely able to breathe, let alone talk.

Loki closed his eyes for a second. _Brilliant idea, to get her drunk_ , he thought, and finally stood up to pick up the weeping girl sitting next to him. He cradled her in his arms, realizing with a strange sensation of fondness that she immediately wrapped her arms around his chest and buried her face in the crook of his neck, and lay down on his bed with her.

"Shh, darling, it's alright", he hummed, stroking her hair lovingly, "I'm here... I'm here for you."

Layla instinctively nestled up to him as close as she could, lying down on his chest, and Loki planted soft kisses on her head. She began to calm down after a while and when he felt her head move, he looked down at her and was surprised to see her looking back. He gave her a gentle smile and kissed her forehead, and she slowly moved her head upwards to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

Utterly, but pleasantly surprised, Loki returned the kiss, carefully slipping his tongue between her lips. Layla parted her lips for him, brushing her own tongue against his, and Loki ran his fingers through her hair and then cupped her face with both hands to wipe away her tears.

Layla tilted her head back to look into Loki's eyes, and for a few seconds their eyes locked, until Layla pressed her lips on Loki's again to kiss him passionately. Loki returned the kiss just as ardently, and he moaned out when he suddenly felt Layla's hands crawl underneath the fabric of his shirt to wander over his muscular chest. When her soft fingers touched his nipples, his breathing hitched and he could feel Layla smirk against his lips. Groaning, he allowed his hands to leave Layla's face and wander down her neck until he carefully cupped her breasts, and he was delighted when she moaned in response. Even through the thick fabric of her gown he could feel her hardened nipples, and he shoved the straps of her dress away and pulled it down. He felt a shudder of arousal run through the girl's body when he touched her naked breasts and he pinched both of her nipples lightly, making her gasp out in excitement. His cock stirred at the sound.

She pulled on his shirt and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Patience, darling", he purred, but took it off in a swift movement. He grinned smugly when he saw Layla's gaze wander over his sculpted chest in admiration. When she lowered her head to trail down his upper body with her soft lips, he realized that his pants have become uncomfortably tight.

Layla's lips halted when she'd reached Loki's waistband, and Loki, leaning against the headboard, looked curiously down at her. It didn't take Layla more than a few seconds to make her decision, and when she started to fumble with Loki's belt buckle, he moaned out in relief.

But just as she'd managed to open his buckle, Loki suddenly straightened himself and reached out for her. He lifted her chin to make her face him and looked deep into her eyes.

"Are you sure, sweet one?" he asked, his voice gentle, but already hoarse from desire, and Layla bit her lip.

"Can we just -" she started, but stopped, unsure if she should say what she was thinking.

Loki stroked gently over her cheek. "What do you need, little one?"

Layla locked eyes with him. "Can we - not be a prince and his - his slave tonight?" she asked insecurely, her voice shaking as she continued, "Can we just - be a man and a woman who've met at a party?"

Loki's warm smile was genuine when he said, "My love, you've been the most beautiful woman at this party."

Layla's eyes lit up and she leant forwards to plant a soft and gentle kiss on Loki's lips.

"Thank you", she whispered, and Loki pulled her into a tight embrace when he said, "Thank _you_ , my darling, for allowing me to take you home tonight."

He caressed her neck, her shoulders and her breasts gently and slowly. Layla moaned softly and touched his naked chest, trailing his firm musculature until her hands reached his waistband again. The touch made Loki's cock twitch impatiently, but he didn't move. Layla hesitated and glanced at him. When she realized that he was just watching her, letting her choose the pace tonight, she smiled and finally opened his pants. Loki moaned from the light movements around his hardened manhood and somehow, the sound sent a wave of arousal through Layla and she pulled down Loki's pants almost impatiently. He was only wearing black boxershorts now, an enormous bulge visible at the front, and Layla stroked carefully over his clothed cock. Loki hissed when his cock throbbed underneath the girl's shy touch.

Layla was delighted when she saw Loki's reactions to her caresses. She didn't really understand what she was feeling, she was distantly aware of a voice in the back of her head that told her that this was _wrong_ , that this man was a _monster_ , that she would regret this _bitterly_ next morning - but she chose to ignore it this time. Tonight, she was the girl from this party who had had just a little bit too much of this delicious sweet wine, and she'd got hooked up by this beautiful, gorgeous, sexy stranger and decided to go home with him, and here she was, about to seduce him, and tomorrow, she would call Becca to tell her every single detail of this night.

She took her dress off and felt another wave of arousal when she saw Loki's desiring look wander over her body, now naked except for her panties. His lusting gaze encouraged her, and she stroked over the huge bulge in his boxershorts again, enjoying his eager growl before she slipped her hand into the shorts and wrapped her hand around Loki's huge erection. He moaned out loudly and Layla smiled at him before she pulled down his shorts.

Loki had never been so desperately aroused in his life. He was used to take when he wanted to, not to be kept waiting, but the girl had taken her time with him tonight, not only out of insecurity and fear, but, as he'd noticed, also because she'd started to enjoy the reactions she could lure out of him.

Layla slid her hands up and down his shaft now and suddenly bowed down to kiss its head.

"Oh by the norns, yes", Loki groaned and Layla, aroused by his reaction, let his cock slip between her lips, making him moan even louder.

And then, she suddenly stiffened. Loki realized that this was too much for her before Layla could even understand why she was suddenly frozen.

Her wet, soft lips around his cock felt amazing and for a second, Loki thought that this must be the biggest challenge he'd ever faced, but he pulled back from Layla's mouth and reached out to cup her face. She looked up at him, confused and with wide, teary eyes, and she opened her mouth to apologize, but Loki hushed her.

"Shh, darling, don't. You've been amazing. Let me take care of you now, will you?"

Layla nodded, still a little tense, and Loki pulled her close to him and gave her a deep, passionate kiss, stroking over her still hardened nipples, and he could feel her slowly relax again. He pushed her down gently until she lay down on her back and then let his lips caress her body, mimicking what she'd done to him before. His lips and tongue wandered over her breasts and her waist, and Layla closed her eyes and moaned. When he'd reached the waistband of her panties, he looked up at her, and she growled unwillingly as she felt his caresses stop. She opened her eyes and realized that he was waiting for her approval, and she nodded, lifting her hips so that he could easily pull down her panties.

"Oh darling, you are beautiful", Loki purred as he spread her legs and looked at her glistening folds. She was soaking wet.

She moved her hips nearer to his body, and Loki chuckled. He planted kisses on her body again, her belly, her waist, her hips and her thighs, and Layla moaned impatiently. When he finally pushed his soft lips against her slit, she shuddered in delight.

"Oh, yes, please -" she panted, and Loki's cock twitched painfully at the sound of her begging. He let his tongue circle her clit, making her gasp, and stroked over her soft inner lips with his fingers.

"Darling, you're so wet for me", he hummed, and Layla moaned in response. She'd never felt anything like this before. Sure, she had masturbated back at her home, and she knew the feeling of arousal, but this - this was incredible. Her whole body seemed to send shivers down into her core where a warm wave of ecstasy was waiting impatiently for the moment it could finally crash down on her.

Loki's tongue still wandered between her clit and her wet folds, bringing Layla close to her climax only to deny her her release yet another time, again and again, until she was close to crying out of unfulfilled desire.

"Please, Loki, please, please", she panted, and Loki looked up at her.

"Yes, darling? What do you want me to do?"

"Oh god, please, I want - I want to -"

Loki chuckled. "Do you want me to take you, sweet one?"

"Oh god yes, please!"

Loki pushed her legs further apart and leaned over her to look into her eyes as he guided the tip of his cock into her core. Layla moaned loudly and Loki carefully pushed himself deeper. It felt unbelievable; Layla's wet, tight canal was stroking his cock deliciously and the way she was trembling beneath him in arousal was divine. She had grabbed his strong upper arms now, squeezing his muscles, and looked at him with eyes that were dark from lust and arousal while she moved her hips against his.

He ran his hands through her hair as he pushed deeper into her, and her grip on his arms tightened.

"Are you alright, darling?" he asked, and she moaned out, "Yes, yes, oh god Loki, I need you inside of me, now!"

It had been challenging enough to keep a slow pace before, but there was no way he could hold himself back anymore when he heard her beg him like this. He withdrew his length from Layla's delicious core and then buried it to the hilt inside of her, moaning out loudly, and Layla screamed his name as she suddenly let go of his arms and grabbed his bottom cheeks instead, pressing him even deeper into herself.

He thrusted into her at a fast pace now, taking care to brush against her swollen clit with every single movement, and it didn't take long until he could feel her squirm deliciously underneath him, squeezing his buttcheeks and screaming out his name as she convulsed around him, finally coming undone around his cock.

Loki kept his fast pace, thrusting into her in circular motions now to ride out her intense orgasm, and just as Layla could feel a second wave of sweet release wash over her before the first one had even ended, Loki let out a deep growl and spilled his seed deep into her core. Layla was spasming around Loki's twitching cock and they both moaned out in mutual ecstasy.

He gave her a few more slow, sensual thrusts until he halted his movements, still buried inside of her, and when he cupped her face, she looked up at him with an expression he had never seen on her face before. She reached up slowly and touched the back of Loki's head to pull him down to her, and he brushed his lips against hers with tenderness.

When he sank down beside Layla, she rolled over to him and placed her head on his bare chest. Loki put his arm around her and pulled her close to him, and Layla reached out for his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand gently.

"Thank you", Layla whispered after a few minutes, but Loki didn't answer.

He had already fallen asleep beneath her, a light smile on his lips. When Layla realized that he was sleeping, she planted a soft kiss on his chest and closed her eyes, too, held in his embrace, her head lying on his chest, and it didn't take long until she drifted into a soft and peaceful sleep.

 


	19. Favoured By Fortune

Loki woke up early the next morning, and for a brief moment, he was completely at ease with himself. He felt relaxed and peaceful, and both feelings were far from natural for him.

When he looked down on Layla who was still snuggled up to him, he smiled and wiped a strand of her brown hair out of her face. It seemed to tickle her; she scrunched her nose a little and then rubbed it against his chest, still sleeping deeply. Loki smiled at her. She was undeniably cute.

And the last night had been _delightful_. It hadn't been what he'd planned or expected, but he couldn't deny how much he'd enjoyed it. He felt his cock twitch when he thought about how willing Layla had been - he had loved to hear her beg before, too, but to his utter surprise, hearing her beg him to take her had been much more satisfying than hearing her beg him for mercy had ever been.

He wondered how she would feel about the previous night today. She'd been willing and wanton, yes, but there was no denying that she had also been quite intoxicated. He might have to make it clear to her that this one night had been an exception, too - he would not turn it into a habit to be so gentle to her and he would certainly not allow her to keep calling him Loki. He felt a bit of remorse at this last thought - he had enjoyed to hear her scream his name. Maybe he'd reconsider his decision to be addressed properly while in bed with her.

With a sigh, he remembered that he was supposed to meet Thor and his mother this morning, and with a last look at his little mortal he carefully pulled her off his body and tucked her in before he left his bed, reluctantly leaving the sleeping girl behind.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"I had thought you to be wiser, that is all I am saying. Loki, you had begun to gain the girl's trust, and showing her to our people has calmed down the disturbances very quickly. And now everybody in the slave quarters is talking about how she was dragged through the whole palace, naked and bloody." Frigga's voice betrayed the disappointment she was feeling, and Loki avoided her gaze.

Thor, on the other hand, rolled his eyes at his mother. "What is it with you and this mortal? She's just a pleasure slave! You've never shown so much interest in one of them before!"

Frigga looked at him, shaking her head slowly. "That might have been a mistake, son."

"I didn't do anything wrong this time. I've had her in my chambers without anybody around to see it. I will not apologize for using a slave whose only purpose _is_ to be used."

"Speaking of which, I would actually appreciate it if you did _not_ use my slave", Loki said, cold anger obvious in his voice.

Thor snorted. " _Your_ slave? She's a royal slave, and I am King. She is just as much my slave as she is yours."

"I am the one who has purchased her, and I do not wish to share her with you."

Thor smirked. "So you do like her."

"Don't be ridiculous."

Frigga sighed. "Loki, Thor is right. As the king, he may use her as he pleases. But I expect both of you to handle her with more care. She is only a mortal, a fragile being, and she has already aroused too much attention in Asgard to let anything happen to her now."

Thor shrugged. "You should tell her to be more obedient, then. The only reason she has been hurt is because she refuses to do what she is supposed to do."

Frigga let out another sigh.

Loki looked at her. "She told me that you promised her to find her family."

"Yes, I did. I believe that it could give her some comfort to know them safe."

"If they _are_ safe", Loki stated, and Frigga nodded.

Thor rolled his eyes. "If we are done discussing the wellbeing of slaves, could we talk about actually important matters now? We have still heard nothing from the frost giants."

Loki crossed his arms. "Your attack has been questionable from the beginning. I am not surprised of the frost giants' lack of forgiveness."

The blonde god shot him an annoyed glance. " _Our_ attack, brother. What do you suggest?"

"I _have_ suggested not to attack. It is now your obligation to deal with the outcome of your impetuous and, if I may add, foolish decision."

"You dare -"

"I dare, brother."

"I am your king!"

Loki raised his eyebrows. "A king should earn the respect he demands."

Before Thor could raise his voice, Frigga intervened. "What has happened, happened. It is now time for redemption, not recrimination."

Thor and Loki glared at each other.

"I would suggest you to travel to Jotunheim yourself, Thor", Frigga said quietly, "It might be the wisest decision to show Laufey your good will by bestowing him the honour of the King's personal visit."

"I am not very keen on travelling to Jotunheim", Thor mumbled, "Would it not be wise if Loki accompanied me?"

Frigga frowned. "His diplomatic skills might be useful", she said slowly, "But I am not sure if it is wise to leave Asgard behind without any of your protection."

Loki nodded, but Thor didn't seem satisfied with his mother's answer.

"Of course it is up to you to decide, son", Frigga added, and Thor glanced at Loki thoughtfully.

"I will think about it", he said eventually and left the room without another word.

"I hope they freeze and keep him, just for decoration", Loki mumbled, and Frigga shot him a warning glance.

"You should know better than to challenge him." She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "You do like the mortal girl, do you not?"

Loki crossed his arms defiantly. "I enjoy her company in my bed. That is all."

A smile played at the corners of Frigga's mouth, but she chose not to press her son any further. "It would certainly be wise not to anger your brother anymore, son. He has noticed your fondness of the slave girl, too, and he will not hesitate to take advantage of it if you keep challenging him."

Loki gritted his teeth. "I am not _fond_ of the girl."

Frigga cocked her head. "Be it as it may, if you do not wish for her to suffer more than necessary, you should act more cautiously around Thor. He is king until your father awakens, whether you like it or not."

"I can only hope that he decides to travel to Jotunheim on his own", Loki mumbled, and Frigga let out a sigh.

"I would rather see none of you travel there. But I fear for Laufey's revenge if we wait any longer with composing this dispute."

"I agree. The soldiers Thor has sent there should have been back long ago."

Frigga nodded, then looked at Loki again. "How is the girl?"

Loki smiled. "She is well." When he saw his mother's doubting look, he rolled his eyes. "She really is."

They both remained silent for a while until Frigga gave Loki a soft smile. "You know that I talked to her yesterday. I enjoyed meeting her. She is something special, son. Take care of her."

 

* * *

 

   
When Layla woke up in Loki's bed again, it was already quite late and she was relieved to be alone.

The memory of last night was crystal clear and she closed her eyes in embarrassment. How could she have slept with this man voluntarily? _Willingly?_ She had even enjoyed it - no, actually, and she felt her cheeks turn crimson at the thought, she had _relished_ it. It had been delightful, and she couldn't remember that she'd ever felt anything this _tremendous_ in her whole life. Just the memory of it sent an almost painful pang of arousal through her chest and her nether regions.

The way Loki had looked at her, affection and lust in his eyes - the way he had touched her, gently and carefully - the way he had kissed her and held her in his arms afterwards - and _oh god_ , the way they had reached their climax together, moaning and screaming each other's names while these intense sensations have been flooding through their bodies - the orgasms she had reached on her own have been _nothing_ compared to this.

She felt guilt wash over her as she realized how aroused she'd become just from the memory of last night. This man had raped, beaten and tormented her. How could she have enjoyed being with him? What kind of person would find pleasure with her potential future murderer? _What was wrong with her?_

She felt tears welling up in her eyes. It had been horrible and humiliating to be raped by the prince, but to know that she had actually enjoyed her last sexual encounter with him was beyond shameful.

Layla jumped out of the bed. The scent of Loki that seemed to linger on the bedsheets almost made her sick. It wasn't because it didn't smell good - it was because it smelled _too_ good. She could almost feel him lying next to her when she took a deep breath, and she couldn't stand the emotions that her vivid imagination caused her to feel.

She hurried to open the windows and change the bedsheets to get rid of his frighteningly wonderful scent, then decided that she would take a bath before she'd take care of the chambers - her whole body smelled of Loki, and she could not think straight with him inside of her mind.

When she had finally finished all of her duties, she briefly considered to visit one of the maids she had met in the last weeks - but somehow, she couldn't bear the thought of anyone's company. Everybody she knew in the palace would certainly try to comfort and soothe her, and she didn't deserve any of it after what she had done last night.

She ended up in the library again, where she hid herself away in a corner in the very back of the large hall. There was a little niche in the corner of the stone walls, just big enough for her to fit in, and it was covered with heavy velvet curtains. It was just bright enought to read the book with midgardian poetry she'd picked out, and she found solace in knowing that nobody else could see her there.

With a deep breath, she opened her book and tried to distract herself with reading, but whatever she did, she could see Loki's piercing green eyes in front of her, she could still smell his scent on her skin and she could feel his touch on her body. And the worst was that it did not haunt her as it used to do - she almost longed for his touch, his warmth, his soothing words right now. If only he could always be the way he'd been yesterday.

She was flipping through the book, reading a few poems every now and then without really caring, when suddenly one of the poems caught her attention.

_Somewhere beyond right and wrong_  
_There is a garden_  
_I will meet you there._

 

She read it several times and suddenly felt tears in her eyes.  _This is stupid_ , she thought, _this is just a short, completely random, unimportant poem_ , _why does it make me cry?_

What she'd had with Loki yesterday was not a place beyond right and wrong; it had been a lie and nothing else. He'd been lying to her, lulling her into a false sense of security again, and if she'd allow herself to fall for it, he would only hurt her again.

But it had been so peaceful, so _wonderful_ , they had been so close to each other - could it really have been a lie, all of it? He did not have to be so gentle with her yesterday, did he? He did not have to make her come, he did not have to ask her if she was sure she wanted this, and he did not have to kiss and caress her the way he had. He had enjoyed the last night, too, even if Layla was scared to even consider it, but she knew that it was the truth - _didn't she?_ Could anyone really fake so much tenderness, so much warmth?

 _He is the god of lies, you naive idiot,_ she thought, but then she heard his voice again -  _"My love"_ , he had said, he had called her _"my love"_ \- could he have meant that? Could he care for her after all?

Maybe he was confused, too - maybe he, too, didn't know what was right and wrong anymore, maybe he, too, was torn between his mind and his heart. Maybe he _did_ like her, maybe there _was_ good in him, maybe she just had to find his goodness just like she had found it last night - _But maybe,_ she suddenly thought, sobered, _maybe I'm just talking myself into believing a beautiful lie, too._

This would be characteristic for this Stockholm thing she'd read about, wouldn't it, to find excuses for her abductor and believe in a comforting delusion to escape reality.

Layla closed her eyes. Her head started to hurt and she almost felt sick from all the thoughts that were circling around in her mind. She had never been so confused in her life. She didn't know what was real and what was true, she couldn't trust her own feelings anymore, and there was no way out of this.  
She leaned her head against the cold wall behind her.

She wanted to _go home._

Really, she had tried to be strong in those last months of captivity and torture, but she just didn't have any strength left inside of her. This was not her world and not her life, she simply didn't belong here, and she could feel herself break apart under the pressure of this foreign world she was forced to live in. She just couldn't take this anymore.

_She wanted to go home._

She wanted to go to her mom, give her a tight hug and have a coffee with her, and then she'd tell her about the petty problems that used to feel so important to her back then, and her mom would know what she'd have to do, because she _always_ knew what to do.

When she opened her eyes again to stare into the thick, red fabric of the curtain instead of her mother's warm, brown eyes, she felt tears streaming down her face, and she didn't care about them anymore, either. She let them run down her cheeks and trickle onto the pages of the book that was still lying on her lap, and she cried and cried, silently and desperately, until she fell asleep, still hidden behind the curtain, still leant against the cold, hard wall, utterly exhausted from everything that she had had to endure in the last months.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki had spent most of his day in the training area. As one of the most skillful combatants it was one of his assignments to train potential Einherjar, and with Thor as one of the other instructors sitting on the throne, Loki had twice as much work to do as he usually had. Fortunately, Thor had asked the Warriors Three to join Loki today, and he had to admit that their support had definitely made his day a lot easier. When they finally left the training grounds in the late afternoon, Loki decided to join his brother's friends for a meal.

Volstagg, this big bearded simpleton, slapped on Loki's back as soon as they had sat down. "So, how's your mortal, Odinson?"

Loki frowned. "She's fine."

Fandral and Hogun joined Volstagg's roaring laughter.

"I bet she is", Fandral chuckled, "Thor told us about the fun he's had with her. I bet she's never dreamt of being favoured by fortune so much that she ends up in a god's bed."

Loki remained silent, but Volstagg smirked. "Who knows, as far as I know, the human race does still pray to their gods. Maybe her prayers have finally been answered."

While the three men burst into laughter, Loki couldn't help but think of all the times Layla had been crying herself to sleep next to him, of the nights that she had had nightmares so haunting that she had been screaming for help in her sleep, of the harrowing emptiness that he'd already seen in her eyes. He was quite sure that she had never prayed for anything like this to happen to her, nor that she would consider herself being favoured by fortune. He felt pangs of guilt - all of this had not just _happened_ to her - _he had done this to her._

Volstagg raised his glass with mead and smirked as he said, "I can't wait to try her myself, Thor said he's never had a quim so tight!"

Loki froze. He turned around slowly and narrowed his eyes at Volstagg. "What did you just say?"

Fandral was the only one who had not noticed the expression on Loki's face. He raised his glass and grinned as he said, "To the tightest quim we'll ever have!"

He had already taken a big gulp of his mead when Loki slammed his fist on the table, making Fandral choke on his beverage.

"None of you will have her! Who in Odin's name has put this grotesque idea into your head?"

Volstagg furrowed his brows. "Well, your brother, of course. He said he'll fetch her over and we're all going to have some fun with her." He shrugged. "Why don't you join us, too?"

Loki was boiling with rage and he did his best to not let it show. He clenched his fists and hissed through gritted teeth, "I hate to repeat myself, but you do not seem to have understood me the first time, so let me try again: None of you will have her. She will not be shared with any of you. She is _mine._ "

He rose from his chair, slowly, elegantly, but the three warriors have already fought by his side often enough to know that it was when Loki acted careful and measured that he was at his most dangerous. They all remained silent and watched Loki as he left the room.

"Well", Volstagg said when Loki was out of sight, "That was interesting."

"Very interesting", Hogun agreed thoughtfully, and Fandral frowned.

"Interesting? Did you even listen to him? He's not going to share the girl with us!"

Volstagg and Hogun looked at each other. While Fandral may not have realized what had just happened, they definitely had - Loki, the cold, distanced and farouche second prince, had just accidentally let them know that he had begun to care for the mortal slave he's purchased.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki paced through the palace with brisk steps. He was shaking with rage. How dared Thor to promise his slave girl to his idiotic friends? Who did he think he was? After everything their mother had said this morning, he had the nerve to suggest sharing the girl with his friends? He wanted to take her with three other men? Did he have any idea of how fragile, how delicate, how tender she was? He would not allow it, regardless of Thor's standing. There was no way he would allow this group of brutes to abuse his mortal. They had used pleasure slaves together before - but these women had been much stronger and tougher than Layla and most importantly, they had been _willing_. But he would certainly not allow four men to rape this innocent girl.

 _You have raped her yourself_ , he heard a vicious voice in his head, and he clenched his fists. Yes, he had, but she was _his, his alone._

When he finally found Thor, he was ready to rip out his throat for even thinking about hurting his little mortal they way he'd planned to.

"Thor!" he shouted, and his brother turned around in surprise.

"Brother!"

"Do not call me brother until you act like one! You have promised my pleasure slave to your idiotic friends!"

Thor smirked. "So?"

"You know very well that I do not approve of this!"

"It did not bother you when we all fucked this blonde one together, what was her name again? And the redhead?"

Loki crossed his arms. "That was something entirely different. They were more than willing to take all of us -"

Thor shrugged. "As far as I've heard, your mortal has become quite willing to be taken, too."

Loki stiffened at this. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't take me for a fool, brother. I have been told that your mortal whore has been screaming your name last night."

"Who has told you -"

Thor smirked. "That is none of your concern. It is true, then?"

Loki huffed. " _That_ is none of _your_ concern."

"I take that as a yes. See, I don't think she'll have a problem with pleasuring me and my friends. Or could it be that you, dear brother, have a problem with this?"

Irritated, Loki turned away from his brother and paced through the room. He did have a problem with it, of course he did, but if he let Thor know, it would only encourage him even more to do it.

"Well", Thor grinned, "In that case, I expect you to send her to my chambers as soon as I return from Jotunheim."

Loki whirled around to look at his brother. "You are going to Jotunheim alone?"

"The Warriors Three and Lady Sif will accompany me. I expect our visit there to be a brief one. And when we're back, I think the pretty little mortal would be a nice reward for my loyal warriors' steady toil of keeping peace in the realms." He smirked. "If you succeed in protecting Asgard during my absence, you may join us, too."

Loki shook his head in disbelief. "She will not be able to take all of you. She is fragile -"

"Another reason for you to join us", Thor grinned, "You can heal her from time to time so she'll be ready for the next one."

Loki knew very well that he was the last one who should accuse another man of cruelty towards bed slaves, but even he was repulsed by Thor's heartlessness.

"You cannot be serious, Thor. Listen to reason, brother, remember our mother's words -"

"Mother has only told us to not injure her too severely. She has also said that I as the King can do with a royal slave as I please, and I intend to do so."

Loki shook his head slowly. "Why, Thor? Why do you do this?"

Thor smirked at him. "Because I can."

He turned around to leave the room and looked back at his brother, who was still standing in the middle of the room with clenched fists and a pale face. "We will leave tomorrow morning. I expect you to satisfy my expectations in you as my representative while I am away. And I expect you to follow my commands regarding my return, as well."

The god of thunder had already left the room when he heard the distinctive noise of shattering furniture from behind him, and he smirked. Really, his little brother should have known better than to challenge him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Layla woke up, the first thing she noticed was her incredibly stiff neck and her sore back. She stretched a bit and it wasn't until her arms hit the hard wall that she realized that she was not in her bed.

Confused, she crawled out of the niche she had been hiding in and widened her eyes when she realized that she was still in the library. It was dark, there were only a few torches illuminating the big hall, and that could only mean that it was much too late in the evening for her to still be in here.

"Holy shit", she whispered and took a step towards the exit. Her neck, her back and her legs were aching terribly, which was not surprising considering where she had slept for God knows how long, and she stretched herself a few times before she approached the door.

As peaceful as she found the library in the daytime, as scary was it now in the darkness. It was very dimly lit, most of the library was still shrouded in darkness, and the flickering flames sent creepy shadows through the entire hall.

When she passed a window and glanced outside, she felt a thick lump of fear in her throat. It was pitch-black. It must be late in the night. And the fact that she had not been in his chambers in the evening would have most certainly not pleased Loki at all.

She hurried through the empty, dimly-lit hallways, her heart hammering against her ribcage. Loki would be infuriated. And he'd never believe her that she had stayed away by accident, that she'd simply fallen asleep, that she had never meant to anger him in any way. He would punish her, that was for sure, it was simply a question of how he'd do it. Of course, he'd rape her, but that wouldn't count as punishment for him. What did Shiari say? They could get slaves flogged and put into jail? Maybe he'd do that? Or maybe he'd rape her publicly again, like last time?

 _So much for meeting at the garden tonight_ , she thought, almost bursting into nervous giggling at the thought.

She was expecting the worst when she finally reached Loki's chambers and opened the door - but she did not expect the rooms to be empty. They were lighted, even the spare room was well-lit, there was no doubt that Loki had already been here, but where was he now? And what should _she_ do now? Maybe Loki had thought that she'd run away again and was looking for her now. If that was the case, she couldn't just stay in his chambers as if nothing had happened. But where was she supposed to go?

She ran her hands through her hair. She had the feeling that whatever she'd do now, it would be wrong. After a few minutes of anxious pondering, she finally decided to go to Ophelia. The head housemaid would know what she was supposed to do now.

When Layla opened the door, she recoiled with a terrified gasp. Loki was standing in front of her, a cold, stony expression on his face as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Look who finally decided to show up", he said in a threateningly low voice, "I have missed you dreadfully, slave girl. I honestly thought that you had learnt not to disobey by now."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem that Layla reads is from Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi.


	20. A Weak Mortal Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot? What plot? x)

Layla took a step back. "Loki, I -"

The god rushed forwards and slapped Layla hard across the face. Her head flung to the side and she stumbled backwards, the ringing sound in her ear so loud that she could barely understand Loki as he spat, "Do not forget who you are speaking to, slave!"

Layla held her face and looked up to Loki, disbelief and fear written over her face. _So this is it_ , she thought absent-mindedly, _no more garden. The old motherfucker Loki is back and the way he looks at me right now, I'm pretty sure he's going to kill me._

"Do you need a little reminder?" he said, approaching her slowly, and Layla drew back.

"Re-reminder?" she stuttered, and Loki narrowed his eyes.

"A reminder of who you are speaking to."

He took another step towards her and Layla took another step back.

"N-no", she said, her voice trembling, "No, Your Highness."

A cold, cruel smile appeared on Loki's face. "See, there is the obedience you should have shown me when I have returned to my chambers this evening. But instead, I have been greeted by a dark and empty room with no slave girl in sight."

Loki, his hands clasped behind his back, was still walking towards her with these slow, measured steps, and Layla backed away from him, frightened of the moment the storm would break loose.

"I'm so - so sorry, Your Highness", she stammered, "I didn't mean to disobey - I fell asleep -"

"Is that so?" Loki said calmly and tapped his finger against his lips, "I must have overlooked you in the bed, then."

Layla was utterly terrified by his quiet behaviour. "I - I was in the library, and I fell - asleep when I was reading -"

"Such _lies_ , little one", Loki chastised her, shaking his head disapprovingly, "I have sent a maid to the library, and, oddly enough, she could not find you there."

"Please, don't - just listen to me, Your Highness", Layla stammered, tears streaming down her face, and Loki raised his eyebrows.

"I will listen to you. I will listen to you _all night long_ , _whore_."

Layla's chest cramped and she barely managed to keep breathing. "No", she whispered, and Loki smiled coldly.

"Oh yes."

He indulged in her fear, and he felt himself becoming aroused at the sight of her horror-stricken face. To his very own surprise, he had enjoyed their mutual coupling the night before, but it had obviously left a false impression behind. He should have known, really - one cannot show softness to a slave without conveying weakness, and his softness towards this particular slave had obviously led her to believe that she could take her liberties with him from now on. Well, she could most certainly _not_ , and he had to get this straight.

She also had to be punished for making a fool out of him once again. He had spent this evening pondering about a way to spare her the encounter with Thor and his friends, he had been worried about her, he had even gone to see his mother who, as appalled as she was at Thor's request, could not help him either, for it was well within Thor's rights to demand such things, and he had become more and more distressed. When he had finally entered his chambers to find them empty, he had been infuriated - he had not expected the girl to run away again.

There were still guards deployed at the palace's exits and nobody had seen her leave, but she had not been seen inside of the palace, either, and Loki had been puzzled over her disappearance. He had called Ophelia, whom he trusted enough to not spread the fact that Layla was missing, and ordered her to search the palace - the healing rooms, the library, the kitchens - but the concerned head housemaid could not find her, either.

Loki had been torn between anger and concern when he finally decided to ride out and look for her himself. Maybe she had managed to sneak out of the palace, after all. But he could find no trace of her. And just as he finally returned to his chambers after hours of looking for her and worrying about her, he found her standing in front of him, fully alive and healthy and audacious enough to tell him _she'd been in the library_.

He almost didn't care about where she'd really been anymore. Knowing that she had chosen the very day after their mutual, gentle, almost loving encounter to run and hide from him again infuriated him to a point where he was almost worried about what he might be able to do to her. _Almost._

Loki took another step towards her, and she took another step back, and it wasn't until this very moment that she finally realized that he was directing her to his bed. He could see the realization dawn on her face as she tried to change her direction. With one big step he was standing in front of her, and he grabbed her throat and dashed her onto the bed that was standing a few feet away from her. Despite its softness, Layla hit it with such force that she was left breathless for a second. When she tried to sit up, Loki was already over her, straddling her chest and tightly gripping her throat.

"I wonder", he said, still with this terrible, calm voice, "What your intentions may have been. Did you just try to take me for a fool? Did you plan to escape? Did you want to hide away until you could find a possibility to sneak out?"

Layla shook her head frantically. His grip was like iron and she could not get a single word out. She clutched his wrists and looked up at him pleadingly only to find him smirking down at her. Whatever it had been that she'd seen in him last night - tenderness, goodness, affection maybe - it was all gone.

"Do you wish to say something, little whore?"

She nodded and felt tears rolling down her cheeks at the movement. Loki loosened his grip and raised his eyebrows expectingly.

"I'm sorry -" Layla rasped and was horror-stricken when the god's grip already tightened again.

"Too little, too late", he gloated, and Layla shook her head desperately.

"Oh", he said with a mockingly surprised tone, "You have something else to say?"

Sobbing out quietly, Layla nodded again. Loki loosened his grip again, and Layla hastened to say, "I really fell asleep, I didn't want to disobey, _please_ -"

That was all Loki allowed her to croak before he tightened his grip again, so firmly this time that he cut off her airflow entirely.

He eyed her thoughtfully, as if he was considering what he should do with her now, and Layla tried to return his look with what she hoped to be an apologetic, submissive expression on her face.

Loki could sense that she was telling the truth, of course he could, but he was far from caring anymore. It did not matter if she'd tried to run away or if she'd been bold enough to fall asleep somewhere - she had to be punished. And while he was at it, he also had to ensure that he stopped caring about a damn slave girl that would soon be a plaything for Thor and his friends, which she would with the utmost probability not survive for very long.

The sudden realization of this truth made him hold his breath for a second. She would not withstand Thor and his friends for very long, there were no doubts about that. Maybe this was the real reason behind this tremendous amount of blind rage that he was feeling.

It had been foolish and disgraceful enough to have sympathy for a mortal slave, but to care for a mortal slave that was about to be tormented into insanity by his very own brother - that was utterly pathetic.

It had taken him a moment to process his thoughts, and when he looked down at Layla again, his eyes widened as he realized that she wasn't moving anymore. He let go of her throat, knelt down beside her and shook her carefully.

"Layla?"

He let his hands wander over her throat to heal the bruise he'd given her mere seconds ago and forced air into her lungs with his seidr, and Layla leaped up with a terrified gasp.

"What - what the -"

Loki stroked over her head. "It's alright, girl."

Layla recoiled from his touch and stared at him in disbelief. "What - I - Are you fucking kidding me?" She touched her throat carefully. "You just almost _choked_ me, and now you're telling me that _it's alright?_ What kind of a monster are you?"

"A monster that has just pulled you back from the brink of death", Loki hissed, and Layla let out a shrill chuckle.

"It was you who has pushed me there in the first place!"

 _Well_ , Loki thought, _she does have a point_. But she had clearly forgotten who she was talking to again.

"Whore, do not forget -"

But Layla had had enough for today. She had been scared to death for the last hour, no, for the _last months_ , and she was sick of it. She suddenly felt burning fury and hatred rise inside of her. She had tried to tell him that she had not intended to disobey and he had not cared, not even listened, and now he had almost killed her and actually expected her to be grateful for it. But she wouldn't submit to him again. She would not be grateful for anything he'd ever give her again, she would not fall for his pretended kindness again and she would not apologize to him again, and _I swear, if he calls me whore one more time -_

"My name is Layla!" she yelled, and Loki stared at her with such a dumbfounded expression on his flawless face that Layla felt the brief urge to laugh out.

"You are unworthy of being called by a name", he spat eventually, "You are nothing but a worthless, filthy whore, and that is what I will call you!"

At this, Layla snapped once and for all. The tight feeling in her chest that had kept her from breathing properly finally burst out in a bright explosion of rage and hatred.

"This was _your_ doing!" she screamed, "It was _you_ who has turned me into a whore! When you brought me here, I was a goddamn virgin, and then you've raped me again and again; you gave me to your brother and let him rape me too and now you _dare_ accuse me of being a whore? Well, you know what, I might be a whore because of you, but the worthless, filthy one, that is you - you - godly fuckhead!"

Loki was too surprised to react immediately. He stared at her, astonishment written all over his face, and suddenly he was the one who had to fight the urge to laugh out loud. Never in his very long life had anybody been bold enough to talk to him like this, and here she was, a weak little mortal that he could kill with a snap of his fingers, and she screamed at him and - what did she just call him? _A godly fuckhead?_

He had pulled her from the bed and slammed her into the wall in a split second. He towered over her, his face only inches apart from hers, and his hands clutched her wrists above her head.

"You dare talk to me like that?" he hissed, "You, a weak, mortal girl dares to talk like this to me, a prince of Asgard, a _god?_ "

Despite the fear that Layla was feeling, the hate seemed to radiate from her whole trembling body, and the words slipped out of her mouth before she could even think about them. "Yes, I do, and you know what else I dare say to you? Fuck you, Your Highness!"

She had crossed the line now, she could clearly see it in his eyes. The expression on his face turned from angry to a deadly, cold one and for a brief second she could have sworn to see a glint of red in his eyes. The grip he had on her wrists became uncomfortably tight and he pressed his body firmly against hers.

Layla closed her eyes. Her mom has always said that her big mouth and her inability to keep it shut would get her into serious trouble one day. _Well, Mom, you were right - I guess this is the day._

"I think I would rather fuck _you_ ", she heard his cold voice, and she could feel his suddenly cool breath on her face. She opened her eyes and looked into his, and now there was no doubt - they were red, bright red, and she felt herself stiffen against her own will. "After all, I need to keep my whore nice and ready for her next suitors, do I not?"

Layla stared into Loki's red eyes with shock, and Loki chuckled gleefully. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. My dear brother has been delighted at your performance and he wishes to share this pleasant experience with his friends. I believe you have met the Warriors Three at the feast?"

Layla blanched with fear and gazed at Loki, horrified. "No", she whispered, and Loki smirked maliciously.

"Oh yes. I have been invited, too - I did not plan to join your confidential meeting, I planned to avert it, in fact - but I think I might just have reconsidered my decision."

Loki suddenly realized that his anger had somehow been replaced with arousal. His cock stirred at the fearful expression on Layla's face, and it took him mere seconds to reconsider the way he'd punish her tonight.

He flicked his wrist with a gleeful smile and Layla could feel her dress disappear. Her bare skin was pressed against Loki's rough armour now, and she could already feel his growing hardness against her body. She pressed her lips together tightly. She would not cry this time, she would not beg and scream and weep this time. She would not give him what he wanted from her.

Slowly, Loki planted a kiss beneath Layla's ear and trailed down her throat with his tongue while his hands wandered down her neck and stroked over her waist. Layla fought to keep her breath steady and stared at the floor with a forced blank expression on her face.

"Resilient today, hm?" Loki crooned into her ear, and Layla shivered at his low voice, "Where is the little Layla that begged me to spare her? That shed these beautiful, pathetic tears for me?"

He cupped her breasts and Layla trembled beneath his touch. Her own hands were still pressed against the wall above her head and Loki's body pressed hers against the cold stone - she could not move a bit.

"Or will I have the pleasure to meet the other Layla today? The one that begged me to take her? That pressed her wanton body against mine to have my cock buried inside of her as deep as possible?"

Layla remained silent, but to her utter mortification she could feel herself become wet at his words.

Loki brushed his lips against her jawline now and his thumbs circled her nipples. Layla let out an involuntary whimper.

"Ah, there she is", Loki gloated, "Hello, darling."

His hands wandered down her belly and her hips and he suckled on a sensitive spot on her throat. Layla fought hard not to make another sound again, but she couldn't do anything against the shivers of unwanted arousal that were running through her.

"You are trembling, my pet", Loki hummed into her ear, "Tell me, is that fear or arousal that I feel? Or maybe both?"

He had both hands on her hips now and pulled her against his body lightly, rubbing himself up and down on her a few times. Layla could feeld his hard member through his armour and she bit her lip to keep herself from moaning out. When Loki's hand slid down from her waist at a tantalizing slow pace, Layla realized that her breathing was fastening. Loki had felt it, too, and he looked deep into her eyes when his feather-light touch halted only inches away from her womanhood. Layla returned his look and was relieved to see that his eyes were green again.

"Your eyes are dark from desire, my little whore", Loki crooned.

Layla shut her eyes tightly.

"Look at me", Loki ordered, and she didn't dare to disobey.

As Loki's hand slipped down and suddenly stroked over Layla's clit, she hissed.

"You like that, do you not?" He chuckled, and when Layla still didn't react, determined not to give him what he wanted this time, he narrowed his eyes at her.  "Answer me, little one."

"No", Layla whispered, and Loki laughed out while his fingers were circling over her clit.

"Do you really want to challenge me further, little mortal? Your entire life is in my hands, and you still want to displease me?"

"Just get it over with and kill me, then", Layla suddenly said with a trembling voice.

Loki frowned. Even his fingers' movements halted for a moment. "What?"

"Just kill me, like you killed your other victims. Don't let me wait for it anymore." Her voice became stronger with every word. It was true, wasn't it - in her situation, death was actually something to look forward to.

Loki eyed her with an expression of surprise on his face. "My other victims?"

"Or pleasure slaves, if that's what you want to call them."

"You think I have murdered my former bedslaves?" Now Loki was amused. Where in Odin's name did this nonsense come from?

Layla on the other hand watched him suspiciously. "What else would you do when you've tired of them?"

The prince grinned mischievously. He decided he'd rather not tell the girl the truth. This was much too entertaining.

"You might find out for yourself one day. Though as for now, I cannot believe I would ever tire of you -" He continued to stroke over her clit while his other hand now caressed Layla's breasts. "You do not have to answer me", he suddenly said, cocking his head, "Your body does it for you -" He pinched both of her nipples that hardened instantly and then stroked over her slit with one finger, and Layla could feel how wet she was. "You are dripping wet for me, darling." He pushed one of his fingers inside of her and it slid in with embarrassing easiness.

Layla tried hard not to cry. She didn't know why her body did what he did, all she knew was that she did not _want this_ , and yet, her body craved this lunatic's touch like a drug.

When Loki added a second finger and let his thumb circle her little nub at the same moment, Layla couldn't hold back a moan anymore.

"Good girl", Loki hummed.

Layla realized with embarrassment that she was pushing her body against Loki's hand now, and she tensed up to stop her movements. Loki smirked. He curved his fingers inside of her throbbing canal and intensified the circular movements on her clit and before Layla could even understand what was happening, she was already coming around Loki's fingers, her whole body jerking with the waves of pleasure that were washing over her, and she moaned out loudly.

" _Such_ a good girl", Loki praised her and planted kisses on her neck, and Layla, still feeling afterwaves run through her body, closed her eyes guiltily. She couldn't believe that she had done this again, that she had let him do this to her again and enjoyed it.

"See", Loki said, "You love being my whore. I am almost certain that you will love being my brother's and his friends' whore, too."

Layla flinched, staring at him with widened eyes. She had almost forgotten what he had said earlier.

"You can't let that happen", she croaked.

Loki smiled coldly at her. "Why not? Did you not tell me to - and I hate to repeat this rudeness - fuck myself?"

Finally, Layla couldn't hold back her tears anymore. "I'm - I'm sorry for that", she stammered and she hated herself at this moment. _So much for not crying and begging, you pathetic thing._

Loki planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "Oh, you _will_ be sorry", he said softly, and at the same moment he plunged his rock hard length into her.

Layla gasped at the sudden intrusion. With a deep growl, Loki began to thrust into her hard and steadily, and Layla gritted her teeth to hold herself from begging him to stop - she was determined to at least save a bit of her dignity tonight.

The god's hands grasped her hips firmly. "Oh you are exquisite, my little mortal", he moaned, "I would never kill you, it would be such a waste -"

He suddenly pulled her legs up and Layla cried out in surprise at the sudden loss of ground beneath her feet. Loki grabbed her butt and made her wrap her legs around his body, and for a few seconds, Layla felt terribly awkward and helpless at this position. But as Loki continued thrusting into her, touching places inside of her that he has never touched before, she suddenly felt the all too familiar warmth rising inside of her belly again.

Loki felt her canal clenching on his length, and he chuckled. "Eager, hm?"

Layla was panting, even moaning every now and then, but she didn't answer him. Loki grabbed her hair firmly and brushed his lips against her ear.

"If you do not want to be fucked into little pieces by my brother and his friends tomorrow, you should do your best to please me, whore."

The girl flinched. "Wh-what do you want?" she gasped desperately, and Loki smirked.

"I want you to tell me the truth."

"The - truth?"

Loki hummed approvingly. "Show me how much you enjoy being fucked by me. Cease your restrained demeanour."

Layla stifled a sob. If she had to decide between sex with Loki and sex with four other men - she really didn't have to think twice. She'd do everything to convince him of saving her from these men. When Loki pushed himself deep into her core again, she moaned out.

"Oh yes", Loki groaned, "That's it, darling. Moan for me, come undone for me. Beg me to take you, little whore!"

He brushed over her clit with every thrust now, and Layla could feel another climax nearing. She moaned loudly. Suddenly, the tight, invisible grip on her arms was gone, and she instinctively wrapped them around Loki's neck. He groaned at her touch, but then stilled his movements to look into Layla's eyes. She returned the look, confused and, to her own embarrassment, desperate for him to continue. When Loki smirked at her and pulled her hips closer to his, Layla bit her lip. She knew what he wanted.

"Please, go on", she whispered, and Loki moaned, "Louder."

"Please", she moaned, "Please go on - I want to come - please, Your Highness!"

"Again."

"Please, Your Highness, please, go on!"

Loki continued to thrust deep into her and Layla let out a breath. "Oh god, yes, please, don't stop now -"

But he did. Just as she was about to come, he stopped again, buried deep inside of her. She tried to hump against him, but it didn't work.

"Please go on, Your Highness", she panted, and Loki did.

When he did this for the fifth time, Layla was sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh god please, please go on, please let me come, please take me, I need to come -"

Loki groaned with lust. Layla's canal was throbbing impatiently, squeezing his hard cock in anticipation, and he looked into the widened, pleading eyes of his pet.

"You will scream my name when you come, and you will thank me for it", he growled.

Layla nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes I will, I will do everything you want, just _please_ let me come -"

He withdrew himself and thrusted deep into her again, moving his hips in a circular manner now, and he could feel his own climax nearing as Layla finally came undone. Her whole body jerked against Loki's, her tight canal spasmed around his hard cock, and she screamed out in ecstasy, "Oh god yes, thank you, thank you, Loki - Loki - oh god -"

"Tell me that you are mine", he groaned, and Layla, still convulsing heavily, immediately followed his order.

"Loki, I'm yours, I'm all yours, you are my master, my prince, my _god_ -"

With a deep growl Loki pushed himself into her as he came, spurting his load deep into her core, and when Layla felt him twitch inside of her, another wave of relief washed over her body. Loki still thrusted in and out of her to ride out their orgasms, and they were both moaning ecstatically, clinging onto each other.

When they were both coming down from their high, Layla let her head sink down and pressed her face against Loki's chest. He smirked and planted a kiss on her head when he suddenly realized that her body was trembling heavily. For a second he thought that she was still recovering from her orgasms, but when he felt something wet trickle down his chest, he frowned.

She was crying - silently, but bitterly.

He wrapped his arms around her and carried her to his bed, still buried inside of her. When he laid her down on the soft blanket, he carefully drew himself out of her and pulled her into a tight embrace. She pressed her wet face against his neck and put her arms around his chest, and he cradled her, gently rocking her back and forth.

She was sobbing out uncontrollably by now, but it wasn't anything like the crying he had enjoyed so much when she had been desperate for her release - this was a desperate, sorrowful sobbing and instead of arousing him, he felt it pierce his heart.

Loki ran his hands through her hair, entangling it carefully, and planted tender kisses on her head. "Shh, little one, do not cry", he soothed her, but Layla's crying became even harder. "Why are you crying, darling?" he asked eventually, realizing how absurd his question was, but honestly, he did feel a hint of confusion - he hadn't been nearly as vicious as he had planned to be, he had even allowed her to enjoy their encounter, so why exactly was she crying now?

"Please don't let anybody else have me", she whispered feebly after a moment of silence.

The god took a deep breath and began caressing her neck, which he knew she found soothing. He shouldn't have threatened her with Thor and the Warriors. It had slipped out of his mouth out of pure frustration, but Layla was the last person he should have punished for his anger about Thor.

"I will not let them have you", he said quietly, without the faintest idea of how he was supposed to keep his promise, "You are mine, little one, and nobody else's. Nobody else will have you again."

Layla looked up at him with teary eyes. "Promise?"

She sounded like a little child, just like she had when she'd begged him not to let her sleep alone, and Loki's throat tightened at the sound.

"Yes, I promise", he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She sniffed and nestled up to him again, and Loki stroked her hair gently.

"Are you in pain?"

Layla hesitated, unsure of what it was that he wanted to hear from her now, and Loki sighed. "If you were hurt, I would heal you."

The girl looked up at him again. "Why?"

He returned her look with furrowed brows. "Why?"

"Why do you hurt me and heal me afterwards?"

It was a fair question, really, but Loki found that he could not answer it. He enjoyed dominating her, even more so when he fucked her, and yes, he enjoyed her reactions when he hurt her in bed, too - but he didn't mean to _truly_ make her suffer, especially not when they were lying in bed the way they were now. And tonight - he couldn't explain what had happened tonight. He had been furious and he had wanted to punish her severely for leading him to believe that she had run away again, and then - then he had suddenly craved her pleasured moans instead of her fearful whimpers and instead of letting her beg him for mercy he had found it much more satisfying to make her beg him to take her instead.

He realized that she was still looking at him, waiting for an answer that he knew he didn't have, and he pushed her head back against his chest.

"Sleep now, darling."

Layla closed her eyes. This man was a real mystery, but, as she had just realized, at least she was not the only one who didn't understand his behaviour - he did not understand himself, either.

As humiliated as she felt by the fact that she had allowed herself to enjoy their encounter again, she also felt a little relieved. The way he had talked to her when he'd returned to his chambers, the way he had looked at her with these scary, red eyes - she had almost expected not to survive the night, but he hadn't been nearly as cruel as she'd feared him to be, and now he was even soothing her and letting her sleep in his bed and in his arms again. And most importantly, he had promised her not to share her with his brother and his friends. She felt a wave of gratitude flow through her. She snuggled into him and breathed in his wonderful, calming scent, slowly drifting into a soft slumber.

Layla was half asleep when she murmured sleepily, "Loki?"

Loki hummed quietly, and Layla mumbled, "I won't call you a fuckhead again."

She had already fallen asleep when Loki chuckled in response, stroking her head lovingly, and whispered, "And I won't call you a whore again."

 


	21. Pleasure And Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sometimes a little confused with all the characters when I return to a fanfiction because there's so many different stories I follow - so just in case you are too, here's a little reminder of who the secondary characters in this chapter are :)
> 
> \- Ophelia is the head housemaid, responsible for all the slaves, maids and servants in the palace  
> \- Shiari is the woman that has brought Layla to Frigga when she wanted to speak with her. She is from Vanaheim and used to be a slave (chambermaid) in the palace until the man she fell in love with has freed and married her. She now works by her own will as Odin's and Frigga's handmaid  
> \- Brios is the Crown Equerry and the husband of Shiari  
> \- Anjali is Thor's chambermaid; she was the one that picked Layla up in the library and brought her to Thor's chambers a while ago
> 
> That's it, I hope you like the chapter!
> 
> *

The next day, Layla woke up in an empty bed again. Loki had already left, and she wasn't sure if she was relieved or worried about his early departure.

When she had finished her duties in Loki's chamber, she decided to go into the kitchen. She had planned to visit Ophelia, but was delighted to find both Anjali, Thor's chambermaid, and Shiari, the king's and queen's maid, in the staff room instead. They were drinking a cup of tea when she entered the room and greeted them.

"Layla!" Shiari exclaimed, "It's so nice to see you!"

Anjali poured her a cup of tea and Shiari offered her a piece of cake, and Layla couldn't help but laugh.

"Is all of this allowed?" she asked, gesturing at the tea and the cake, and the two women giggled.

"Of course it is. Ophelia fought hard until we were finally allowed to have a staff room, and now we spend a lot of time here during our breaks", Shiari smiled.

Layla frowned. "And - and slaves - are allowed in here, too?"

"Hey!" Anjali smirked, "Of course we are. Only the royals think of us as scum, not the other maids and servants."

"I didn't know you were a slave, Anjali", Layla said, surprised, and Anjali raised her shoulders with a grin.

"Must be my aristocratic manners."

Shiari smiled. "We were brought here together and used to share a room, too."

"Until Miss Shiari climbed the social ladder. Did she tell you about that?"

Layla nodded.

"Can you believe it? Now she's married to this amazing guy and gets actually paid a fortune for doing half as much as I do!" She grinned, but did sound a tad bitter.

Shiari looked down, her face blushed, and Anjali petted her hand and smiled at her as she lifted her gaze again.

"Listen, Layla", Anjali suddenly said, "I heard about what's happened with Thor the other day. I'm so sorry. I didn't know -"

Shiari slowly shook her head in Anjali's direction and the maid fell silent.

"Can I ask you something?" Layla said eventually, and both women nodded. "Anjali, you're working for Thor, right? Does he - is he always -"

Anjali seemed to know what Layla wanted to ask her. "I'm a chambermaid, and I never have to fulfill the duties of other slaves. Nobody is allowed to violate a chambermaid or a kitchen maid or anyone else, except -" She blushed.

"Except for pleasure maids", Layla added.

"Well, yes", Anjali admitted, avoiding Layla's gaze, "If you're a pleasure maid, they can do with you as they please."

"So as a pleasure maid, you're literally fucked", Layla mumbled.

While Shiari's eyes widened, Anjali burst into laughter. "I like you", she smirked, but then became serious again, "But, well, yes, you're right."

"But that's not fair!" Layla exclaimed, "It's not like I chose to be a pleasure slave!"

"I know", Anjali said, sadness written on her face, "These asgardian laws are ridiculous. Whoever purchases you gets to decide about your whole life, your future, everything. It was pure luck that I've become a chambermaid, I could also have ended up as a pleasure slave, too."

Layla had tears in her eyes. "But is there nothing I can do? Apart from marrying or paying for my freedom? Can't I change my occupation?"

Both women shook their head, and Layla fought hard to swallow the lump in her throat. "But I'm responsible for Loki's chambers now, too - doesn't that - kind of - make me a chambermaid?"

Anjali watched her with a sympathetic expression on her beautiful face. "No, it doesn't. It just makes you a bedmaid with a few more duties."

Layla reached for her cup of tea, but reconsidered her decision to take a sip when she realized how heavily her hands were trembling.

Shiari cleared her throat. "I know it's hard for you", she said softly, "But I'm sure that things will get better eventually. My husband, Brios - he always says that Prince Loki is not as cruel as everyone thinks, that he has a very likeable side, too -"

Layla shook her head. "It's not even Loki I'm worried about at the moment." She glanced at the two maids in front of her, unsure if she could really trust them.

"Is it King Thor?" Anjali asked, frowning, and Layla felt another wave of tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.

"Yes. Not only him, though. He wants to take me with his warrior friends."

Both women stared at her.

"All at once?" Anjali asked, appalled, and when Layla nodded, Shiari hissed something in a foreign language.

"I don't speak her mothertongue, but I'm pretty sure she just called them 'disgusting bastards'", Anjali mumbled.

Layla finally lost the battle against her tears and they began to stream down her face and trickle onto her dress.

"I don't know what to do - Loki promised he wouldn't let that happen, but -"

" _Prince Loki_ promised that?" Anjali said, her brows furrowed, and Layla nodded.

"But why would he care about that?" Shiari asked.

"I don't know", Layla murmured with a teary voice, "But he said he wouldn't allow anybody else to have me again."

Anjali and Shiari exchanged a look, and Layla frowned. "What?"

"Well", Shiari said slowly, "Prince Loki has already had a few pleasure slaves, but as far as I know, it never bothered him to share them. I don't think he really cared about it."

"So if he doesn't want to share you -", Anjali added, "- it means something."

Layla raised her shoulders. "And what could it mean?"

"Maybe it means that every slave but me gets to marry up", Anjali said with a smirk, and Layla snorted.

"Yeah. I'm sure I'm going to be the next fucking Queen of Asgard."

Anjali and Shiari both laughed at that, and they were still laughing when the door opened and the head housemaid burst into the room.

"Anjali, Shiari, your break has been over ten minutes ago! Layla, you'll stay here, I want to talk to you."

The two maids left the room quickly, and Layla looked at Ophelia who sat down next to her, eyeing her with a stern expression.

"Where in the nine realms have you been yesterday?"

Layla sighed. "I've fallen asleep in the library. I know how stupid that was. Did Loki tell you?"

" _Prince Loki_ -", Ophelia corrected sternly, "- made me search the entire palace for you, I have been worried sick! And I've been in the library, my dear, in contrast to you!"

"I'm so sorry, Ophelia - I've really been there, there is this little niche with a curtain in front of it, in the back of the library - I hid there to read, and then I just fell asleep. I'm really sorry."

Ophelia shook her head in disbelief. "She _fell asleep in a hidden niche!_ Can you believe her!"

Layla was relieved when she saw a little smile in the corners of Ophelia's mouth.

"Well", the head housemaid said, eyeing her carefully, "But you seem to be quite well? Did the prince not punish you?"

Layla blushed when she remembered her punishment. "He did", she murmured, "But it wasn't - it wasn't so bad. I'm okay."

"I see. Well, you should consider yourself lucky. The prince seems to like you; he has been more concerned than angry yesterday and he let me swear not to tell anybody about your absence to spare you the King's punishment for disobedience."

Layla frowned. "Really?"

"Really. But do not rely on his affection for you, my dear. The dark prince is a very erratic person."

"I've noticed", Layla mumbled.

The elder maid took a bite of the piece of cake that Anjali had left behind. "You still seem troubled."

Layla took a deep breath. "Prince Loki - he has told me that his brother wants to - to take me again, but this time, with his three friends. He has promised to not let that happen, but - I don't know if he meant that."

Ophelia gritted her teeth. "This is far from unheard of, Thor is known for his orgies - but I cannot remember that they have ever taken an unwilling maid for such an escapade. I will talk to the queen."

"Do you think she would forbid it?"

"She's not officially authorized to do that, but - she is King Thor's mother, after all. She might be able to reason with him."

Layla sighed. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Just don't hide and fall asleep again."

Layla laughed. "I promise."

 

 

* * *

 

  
When Loki walked into his chambers on this evening to see his little mortal greeting him with a curtsy, he was more than satisfied. He had not been sure if he hadn't been too gentle with her on the day before; he had not even punished her properly for her absence, but she seemed to have learnt the lesson anyways.

Much to Loki's relief, Thor and his friends still hadn't returned from Jotunheim in the evening, so he did not have to worry about them today. Instead, he could take care of his mortal himself tonight - and the way she had curtsied to greet him had really whetted his appetite.

"Good evening, pet", he smirked at her, and she blushed at the nickname.

"Good evening, Your Highness", she replied quietly.

"I am pleased to find you in my chambers tonight", he said casually, and Layla stiffened.

"Once again, I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness", she said, shaken, "It will not happen again."

"I would advise you to keep that promise."

Layla nodded.

"I still have some paperwork to take care of", he said and noticed how Layla's body seemed to relax at his words, "But you may wait in my bed until I am done." He smirked as she immediately tensed up again.

"Wait?" she repeated

"Wait", Loki confirmed, "And I expect you to await me naked, darling."

Layla's cheeks turned crimson and she looked at him as if she was waiting for him to chuckle and tell her that he had just been teasing her. Well, he wouldn't. He was dead serious.

"Is there anything you did not understand?"

"No, Your Highness", Layla whispered.

"Why are you still dressed, then?"

Reluctantly, Layla took off her dress and her shoes, trying hard not to glance at Loki, who sat on his desk leering at her. When she hesitated, Loki clicked his tongue and Layla felt her cheeks heat up.

_Clicking noises. Pet. Who does he think he is?_

She took off her undergarments, too, and threw her clothes on one of the chairs next to her, then turned around to get into the bed. When she lifted the blanket, she heard a low chuckle.

"Don't you dare, little mortal."

_Fine._

She sat down, her upper body leaning against the pillows at the headboard, and felt like a complete idiot. Was she just supposed to sit here now, naked and slightly cold, waiting for him to come over and rape her?

Layla glanced at the prince carefully. He was still watching her with obvious lust in his eyes. She felt a strange twinge inside of her chest at his gaze and quickly looked away. When she heard him browse through his papers a second later, she closed her eyes in relief. Maybe he'd lose interest.

For a few minutes, Layla just sat there, waiting, while Loki was taking care of his papers. Then, without even looking up from his work, he said casually, as if he'd just tell her to fetch him some water, "You will suck my cock tonight."

Layla froze, her eyes widened, and she stared at Loki in disbelief. But he didn't even glance at her, still writing something down as he added, "I do expect you to answer me, darling."

"Yes, Your Highness", Layla said through gritted teeth.

A few minutes passed. Layla was still sitting on the bed, anxiously waiting for Loki to begin delivering on his cruel promise, while Loki was browsing through the books and papers, taking notes every now and then. Everytime he moved, Layla flinched in fearful anticipation, and she hated herself for it - it was without a doubt exactly what this bastard wanted, but she couldn't help herself. Eventually, she started to shiver from the cold, and that was when Loki finally looked up from his desk.

"Are you cold, darling?"

"N-no, Your Highness."

He chuckled softly. "Ah, but you are trembling. Maybe I should warm you."

Layla bit her lip. "That's - that's not necessary."

She cursed herself when Loki rose from his chair and approached her slowly.

"Still so reluctant, hm? Did you not enjoy our little - come together - of last night?"

There was no right answer to this question. If she said yes, he'd gloat over her and take her again, claiming that she'd like what he'd do to her, and if she said no, he'd punish her for it and take her again, anyways.

 _Then just tell him the truth_ , Layla heard a malicious little voice inside of her head, _Because let's be honest, you did enjoy it. Oh, how you've enjoyed it._

Loki had reached the bed and looked down at her with narrowed eyes. "Oh darling, if you keep refusing to answer me, I might have to punish you", he purred, and Layla hurried to shake her head.

"No, I mean yes, I - I did enjoy it."

Her voice had become quiet towards the end, and Loki smirked. "I beg your pardon, I did not hear you."

Layla bit her lip. "I enjoyed it", she said, louder this time, and blushed at her own words. She was a disgrace to herself.

"That's what I thought", Loki crooned, and his deep, sensual voice sent shivers through Layla's body. He sat down on the bed and smirked at her as he let his fingers crawl over her thigh. "And I am almost certain that you wish to enjoy it again. But even more importantly, I assume that you wish to make  _me_ enjoy it, am I right?" His voice was still quiet, still soft, but now, there was an unmistakeable threat in it.

"Yes", Layla whispered.

Loki smiled as he cupped her face. "Good girl."

His hands wandered down her neck and her breasts where they found her nipples, already hardened from the cold. When he pinched them, Layla whimpered quietly.

"That's what I want to hear from you", Loki purred, pinching her nipples harder, and Layla gasped at the sensation of pain mixed with beginning arousal.

Loki's hands slid down her waist now, and Layla closed her eyes in shame when she realized how quickly her body had started to hunger for the pleasure Loki was about to give her.

"No no, darling", he said, chuckling, "You will look at me."

Reluctantly, Layla opened her eyes again and looked into Loki's. They were already dark from lust. She knew this look - he wouldn't restrain himself from taking her much longer now, and she swallowed the lump in her throat when she noticed that she wasn't sure if she was scared or excited of this moment.

"Spread your legs for me, pet."

He pulled her legs apart and she obeyed him reluctantly. His eyes were glistening when he looked down at her, and his hands were running over each thigh, slowly and gently, approaching her womanhod at a tormenting pace. Much to Layla's dismay, she noted how her body was throbbing impatiently, eager for Loki's touch.

"Your heart is beating so fast, darling. Are you feeling alright?" Loki gloated, and Layla had already shot him an angry glare before she could hold herself back. Fortunately, Loki seemed to be rather amused about it.

"Just give in to your pleasure", he said, "We both know how much you want me to touch you -"

Layla narrowed her eyes. "I don't wan't you to -"

Instead of finishing her sentence, Layla moaned out loudly when Loki's hands suddenly touched her wet folds; one circling over her clit while the other one caressed her slit.

"Yes, darling?" Loki purred, "What was it you wanted to say?"

"I - I don't -" Layla started again and gasped when Loki slipped two fingers inside of her core, slowly thrusting in and out of her.

"I am all ears, little one."

But Layla was far from caring now. She knew how wrong this was, _so, so_ wrong, but it also felt so, so _good_. For a second she wondered if Loki has done something to her, something magical, because this couldn't be normal, the way she fell for him when he touched her, the way her body betrayed her mind and craved his attention, the way she suddenly longed to be taken by him - but then Loki leaned over her and started to suckle on a sensitive spot on her throat while his fingers kept pushing in and out of her, and suddenly, she couldn't think anything anymore. She was completely lost in her bliss.

Loki watched his mortal with delight. It was so easy to seduce her, she was so responsive to his touch, and he wondered briefly why he had ever enjoyed this woman wriggling and wailing beneath him when this was so much better - the way she trembled for him in arousal, the soaking wetness between her legs that was just waiting for him to finally plunge into her, and the ecstatic moans that showed him how much she had already lost herself in her desire for him.

When he could feel her tunnel clench up, he withdrew his fingers, and he smirked lewdly at her frustrated, indignant groan. He knew that she had been painfully close to her climax.

"You do not deserve to come yet, darling", he said, his voice hoarse, and Layla widened her eyes when he looked down at his lap suggestively.

 _Whatever_ , she thought, _I've done it before and I can do it again. It will hurt less if I just do it._

Loki grinned at the expression on her face and leant back against the headboard, still completely dressed in his asgardian attire, his legs spread wide. Layla crawled to his side and looked at him insecurely.

"Kneel down between my legs", he ordered, and she did without hesitation.

"And now unpack your gift, darling", Loki grinned.

Layla narrowed her eyes, but didn't dare to say anything. She quickly opened his belt and took a deep breath before she continued. When she opened his pants and touched his hard cock through the fabric, he took a sharp breath.

To Layla's utter surprise, it had stirred something inside of her when she felt Loki's hard manhood, knowing that she had been the very reason for it to stiffen. She pulled his pants down and her eyes widened. Had it always been so enormous?

"That's right, little one, it's all yours tonight", he growled, and Layla slowly wrapped her hand around the shaft.

Loki moaned when he finally felt the girl's touch on his member. Feeling her wet tightness around his fingers and her trembling, excited body beneath him had aroused him to no end, and it had been torturous to not thrust into her yet. Now that she touched him so shyly, his need for release was becoming almost unbearable. He flicked his wrist to get rid of his clothes.

"Open your mouth", he ordered and growled when Layla looked up at him fearfully. She clearly didn't dare to not follow his command despite her fear, and Loki felt his cock twitch at this display of obedience.

 _Do it, it'll be worse if he has to force you_ , Layla thought and swallowed down the need to cry as she opened her mouth and took the tip of Loki's cock in her mouth. Loki groaned loudly and Layla pushed her head down a bit, letting her tongue swirl over his soft skin.

"Suck, little one", Loki moaned.

Layla started to suck and looked up at him insecurely, his cock still buried in her mouth, and the sight seemed to turn Loki crazy - he growled loudly and snapped his hips towards her, pushing his length deeper into her throat while he grabbed her head by her hair to hold her in her place. The girl gagged around Loki and slapped against his hips with her hands to catch his attention, but Loki didn't care about her wellbeing anymore - the feeling of her wet, tight throat around his cock and the sight of her choking on it drove him mad with lust. He shoved her head up and down on his member, ignoring her muffled whimpering, and moaned ecstatically. The noises that Layla made sent pleasant vibrations through his cock and he had to hold himself back from thrusting even deeper into her just to make her cry out louder.

He looked down at her, growling with lust as he saw tears on her face. "You're taking my cock so well, my little mortal" he moaned, "You will swallow every single drop I am going to give you, do you understand?"

Layla, crying desperately, tried to hum to let him know that she has understood, and Loki thrusted into her mouth at a fast pace, making her gag everytime his cock touched the back of her throat, and then he finally came with a loud groan, spurting his seed deep into her. He held her in place, relishing his high and forcing Layla to swallow everything he had given her, and she obediently followed his orders, looking up at him pleadingly.

When she had swallowed all of him, Loki sighed contentedly and pulled Layla up. She was still crying, avoiding his gaze, and he pulled her into a tight and soft embrace. She pressed her face into his bare chest and sobbed out, and he stroked her hair lovingly.

"It's alright, little one, you have done that very well", he soothed her, caressing her neck.

He held her for a while, humming to her, and waited until she had stopped crying, then lifted her head to face her and give her an affectionate smile.

"You are so beautiful when you cry", he said softly and kissed her wet cheeks, and Layla lifted her gaze to look at him, confused. He brushed his lips against hers and let his tongue slip into her mouth.

When he let go of Layla's mouth, leaving her breathless and panting, he slowly let his hands wander over her back and her waist. For a moment, he admired her soft and beautiful body. He caressed her belly and her hips and when he realized that he was already growing hard again, he turned her around in a swift movement. Layla squealed in surprise but fell silent when Loki suddenly pressed his lips against hers again. He cupped her breasts and brushed his thumbs over her nipples, but Layla was still too startled from Loki's sudden violation during her blowjob to react to it.

"Relax now, darling, you have earned yourself the right to come now", he purred, but Layla shook her head silently. She was far from aroused.

"Defiant again, hm?" he chuckled and brushed his lips against her throat, trailing down her neck until he reached her breast and started to suckle on one of her nipples.

Layla pressed her eyelids shut. She had relished the pleasure he had given her, she had enjoyed his attention until he had urged her to take his cock into her mouth, and then, out of nowhere, he had completely lost himself in his ravenous lust; he had been relentless, brutal - terrifying. And now he had yet another change of mood, suddenly being gentle and attentive again. She was confused and shocked and she just didn't know what to think of him. If she gave in to him now, how could she be sure that he wouldn't hurt her again?

Loki was caressing her waist now and let his hands slowly wander over her hips while he still let his tongue swirl around her nipples, and Layla felt a hint of resigned frustration as she noticed that there were sparks of arousal rise inside of her again. Her body was still craving the orgasm Loki had denied her before, and she felt her clit throb in anticipation when his fingers ghosted over it.

"You want me to take you, darling, just admit it", he whispered, his mouth only inches away from her womanhood, his warm breath sending shivers over her sensitive skin, "You long for me to bury myself deep inside of you, to stroke your insides with my hard cock, to thrust into your core until you scream out in ecstasy -"

Finally, his tongue touched her clit, and Layla moaned against her own will.

"Ah, there we go", Loki crooned, "Moan for me, darling."

He grabbed her hips firmly while he suckled on her sensitive nub, his lips caressing her wet folds, and she didn't have to be ordered to moan; she couldn't have held herself back, anyway. She quickly felt her climax near again, but just like the last time, Loki stopped only seconds before she could reach it, and he looked up at her with a malicious smirk on his handsome face while she tried desperately to push her throbbing cunt against him.

"What is it that you want, my sweet little mortal?"

"Please, take me, let me come, Your Highness", Layla panted - she knew exactly what he wanted to hear from her.

Loki's eyes glistened. "Beg me", he growled.

Layla couldn't take the heat inside of her anymore, and she screamed out, "Please, please, my prince, please take me, I want your cock, please -"

That did it. Loki moaned out and leaned over Layla to push into her, spreading her wet folds and stretching her throbbing flesh. Layla almost couldn't stand the intense feeling inside of her, and in desperate need of something to hold on to, she put her hands on Loki's firm, muscular chest. Loki grabbed her hands and pinned them down on each side of her head, intertwining his fingers with hers, while he rocked himself deeper into her core.

When he saw Layla's face, her skin reddened, her lips parted and her eyes glazed with desire, he bowed his head to kiss her passionately while he buried his length to the hilt inside of her body. Layla moaned into Loki's mouth and he growled back, thrusting in and out of her at a slow, sensual pace, brushing her clit with every thrust.

"Oh god, Loki", Layla moaned, then widened her eyes in terror, "I mean, Your Highness, I'm sorry - please -"

But Loki just chuckled. "You may call me Loki when we are in bed, darling", he purred, and Layla let out a relieved breath.

He let go of her hands and grabbed her legs instead, lifting them to put them over his shoulders, and Layla, confused by his movements at first, suddenly screamed out in delight when he plunged deep into her again.

"Oh god, yes, please don't stop -"

Loki looked at her with dark eyes. "I am indeed your god, little mortal, do not forget that."

He thrusted into her at a fast pace now, burying himself deeper inside of her than ever before, and he could feel the tip of his cock bumping against Layla's cervix, making her cry out in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Say my name", Loki growled, and Layla obeyed without hesitation.

She moaned out his name, feeling her climax near, and just as Loki came deep inside of her with a deep groan, Layla was struck by the most intense orgasm she had ever had. She screamed his name out in ecstasy - _LOKI, OH GOD, LOKI LOKI LOKI_ \- clenching her tight walls around Loki's twitching cock, and Loki kept thrusting into her trembling body, extending her orgasm until it was almost too much to bear.

For a while, they were just lying side by side, Loki's arm wrapped around Layla's shoulder and her head resting on his chest. When she realized that Loki's breathing had slowed down, she looked up at him. His eyes were closed and Layla could tell that he was already half asleep, a soft, innocent smile on his lips.

"You are a strange man", she mumbled, and to her surprise, Loki chuckled sleepily.

"You are certainly a strange woman, too, darling. A perfect match, even if it has been made in hell."

 

 


	22. King Thor Has Returned

Layla woke up from the unfamiliar feeling of a hard erection that was pushing against her rear. She frowned.  _He can't be serious._

"Good morning, little mortal", Loki purred in her ear, and Layla bit her lip.

How the hell did he know that she was awake? He was lying behind her, he couldn't possibly see her face. He nuzzled his face into her neck and she felt his warm breath on her skin.

"Good morning", she mumbled sleepily.

Loki groaned. "Mh, I've been watching you for a while now, you are so innocent and sweet in your sleep - I couldn't wait for you to wake up."

He had been watching her while she's been sleeping, and he's undoubtedly been touching her, too. _If I hadn't known that he was a pervert before, now I would have known for sure._

Layla was unsure of what she was supposed to do now. She really just wanted to go to the bathroom and pee - but somehow she had the feeling that the prince beside her had other plans.

He rubbed himself against her and pressed her body against his.

"Please, don't", she murmured, and the grip around her hips tightened.

"Little one -" Loki said warningly, and Layla shuddered at the threatening sound of his voice.

"I'm - I'm very sore", she muttered sheepishly, which was the truth - she still wasn't used to sex, let alone the rough, brutal sex that Loki demanded.

"Oh, we cannot have that", he purred, his voice softer now, and Layla gasped when he suddenly slipped a finger inside of her.

"Hey -" she protested, but Loki chuckled.

"Shh, just let it happen."

"It stings", she murmured.

"I know, pet. I have been a bit rough last night. But you certainly enjoyed it, did you not? The way I thrusted deep into you, touching the deepest part of your delicious little cunt, making you moan and squirm beneath me until your whole body relished in its high when I came deep inside of you, giving you all my royal seed..."

Layla felt embarrassingly strong waves of arousal run through her body at the memory of last night, and Loki, still pushing his finger deeper inside of her core, smirked as he felt her reaction to his words. When Loki's finger was buried uncomfortably deep inside of her sore tunnel, Layla suddenly noticed how the aching feeling lessened. Loki withdrew his finger and thrusted it back in, and this time, she didn't feel sore at all anymore.

"Is that better?"

Layla nodded. "Thank you."

Loki grinned. "Oh, I know how you can thank me, little one."

He added a second finger now, and they were thrusting into her at a slow pace.

"Oh, you are so wet for your god", Loki crooned, "Such a good, good girl..."

Layla shut her eyelids tightly. Why the hell did his praise arouse her so much? It was degrading to be called a good girl, a pet; yet somehow it sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.

When Loki replaced his fingers with something much thicker, Layla was more than ready for it. She was still lying on the side with Loki spooning her, and she wasn't sure what to do in this position, but Loki definitely did. He pushed into her slowly and deliberately, and Layla moaned out loudly.

"Oh, your body welcomes my cock so deliciously - it's like it knows that it belongs to me now", he whispered into her ear, thrusting in deeper.

His hands caressed her hips and her globes, grabbing and kneading them hungrily, and Layla yelped when she suddenly felt a finger pushing inside of her rear. "Ouch, what the -"

Loki chuckled. "Do not fret. You are not ready to take me there, I know that. But you will one day. And you will love it. But for now -" his finger slipped in deeper, and Layla tensed up.

"Loki - Your Highness - please -"

He hushed her. "Just relax. Trust me."

Relax. Trust. Those were two of the things she somehow had issues with when she was around this man.

"I - Please, that's - it feels -"

Loki pushed his finger deeper into her rear and Layla was overwhelmed with the odd sensations the feeling evoked inside of her. He thrusted his length into her at a slow pace and moved his finger in and out of her rear in the same way, and even though it felt frightening and strange, it also started to feel - _good_ , somehow - it was an odd, full feeling that confused her deeply, but made her tremble and moan at the same time.

"Let go, darling, just enjoy it. You are mine either way. Every single part of your body is mine, to do with as I please..."

His thrusts became harder and faster at his words and he growled into Layla's ear, pressing her body even tighter against his bare chest. When he buried himself to the hilt inside of her core, twitching against her tight inner walls as he shot his seed into her, Layla was overwhelmed by her own high and she cried out in pleasure. Loki gave her a few more thrusts before his movements stilled, and he planted soft kisses on her shoulders and her neck while his hands were caressing her hips and waist.

Layla still relished the aftermath of her climax when he suddenly slapped her rear.

"Be gone now. I assume you have work to do", he said shortly, and Layla frowned.

_Even the mood swings of a woman suffering from severe PMS would probably pale in comparison with his._

She shifted away from him to stand up and didn't dare to look at Loki before she walked into the bathroom. It was only when she closed the door behind her that she realized that she had not looked into his face yet this morning.

 _No eye contact, no good morning kiss, but he's already fucked me_ , she thought bitterly. Somehow it made her feel unwanted, uncherished, as if she was just - _well, you_ are _just a whore to him_ , she chastised herself mentally, _don't get all lovelorn now because your fucking rapist doesn't flutter his eyelashes at you. What is wrong with you?_

She sighed when she started to run herself a bath. She was fearing and craving his touch at the same time, she wanted to never see him again but missed him sorely as soon as he was gone and she was scared of attracting his attention, yet was disappointed if he didn't pay it to her.

If this god out there wasn't going to hurry with killing her, he'd probably drive her to insanity before.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki's gaze had followed his little mortal until she had closed the bathroom door behind herself. Had he not planned to distance himself from this girl? Whatever had become of this plan? He had not only let her sleep in his bed again for the last few days, he had also been far too gentle with her again. Sighing, he rolled over in his bed. He had watched her sleeping this morning, admiring her beauty and chuckling at the little snores she had made, and he had felt an amount of fondness for her that he knew very well was highly inappropriate. Now that she had left his bed, it almost felt empty without her, and the fact that she had not even once looked at him this morning bothered him more than he would dare to admit.

What in Odin's name did this mortal do to him? He had never lost his self-restraint with another pleasure slave before, he had never even cared much about them. And now there was this pathetic mortal girl with an alarmingly big mouth and this seemingly unbreakable willpower who just refused to abandon herself to him, and she made him feel torn between admiration of her resilience and an urgent need to finally make her fully submit to him. It irritated him more and more with each day. He had decided to keep himself apart from her for a while, but had found himself longing for her company soon after.

Loki sighed and got out of his bed, cleaning and dressing himself with a quick flick of his wrist, and sat down at his desk. He had to finish what he had started last night before he would have his breakfast.

He was halfway through with his work when Layla left the bathroom and tiptoed into the spare room, wrapped up in a towel, and he couldn't help but smirk at her shy attempt to shield her nakedness from his view, even now that he had already seen more than enough of her body. When she returned, wearing a green dress that Loki already longed to rip off of her again, she gave him an uncertain look, and Loki sighed.

"You may eat your breakfast before you attend to your duties."

"Thank you, Your Highness", she murmured and was just about to enter his dining room when a loud knock sounded from the door.

"Come in", Loki said, and a guard entered the room, respectfully bowing to Loki.

"Your Highness, King Thor has returned."

Loki just nodded shortly and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, but Layla stared at the guard in shock. When he had left, she looked at Loki, but he didn't return her gaze as he rose from his chair.

"Your Highness", she said, her voice trembling with fear, "What - what will happen now? I -"

"You will stay here in my chambers", he said nonchalantly, still not looking at her, "If anybody tells you to leave it, you will refuse to."

"Okay", Layla said nervously, "But what if -"

Loki shot her an annoyed glare. He was already more than displeased with his brother's return, he really didn't need this mortal to show him how scared she was to remind him of what might be happening to her now that Thor was back.

"Be silent now. Your scared whimpers begin to annoy me."

Layla bit her lip. Why the hell did it hurt her when he said things like this? She was used to much more cruel manners from his side, it was ridiculous that she felt rejected when he dismissed her like he just had.

Without another look at her, Loki left his chambers to see Thor - who had obviously and much to Loki's dismay _not_ been frozen by these despicable creatures from Jotunheim.

Layla stayed behind, her stomach churning and her hands shaking. She didn't know if Ophelia had already talked to the queen, and even if she had, she had no idea if the queen would actually be able to help her or if she'd even care about it. And Loki didn't seem very concerned about what would happen to her, either. What if he didn't keep his word, what if he just gave her to Thor - or if Thor just took her against Loki's will, like he had before? Thor alone was brutal enough, but these three friends of his - Layla had seen them at the coronation feast, they had looked quite big and strong. There was no way she could handle all of them at once. Who knew what kind of gruesome things they had planned to do to her. Layla's knees suddenly felt weak and she sat down on Loki's bed. She had planned to have breakfast before she'd take care of Loki's chambers, but the news of Thor's return had spoiled her appetite in mere seconds.

 

 

* * *

 

  
"They were expecting us, there must have been hundreds of them. But when more than half of his warriors had been slain without much effort from our side, Laufey has surrendered. We have both agreed on an immediate truce."

Thor sounded disgustingly proud with himself, and Loki, who had noticed that there had only been five figures walking back into the palace, couldn't withhold from asking, "Did the great Thor only bring back his dear friends, or did you happen to have the group of soldiers return to their homes, too?"

Frigga closed her eyes for a second, and Thor had the decency to lower his gaze.

"They have been killed the second they've arrived in Jotunheim. They've been impaled and placed so that their bodies were the first thing we saw when we arrived."

Loki opened his mouth, but Frigga interrupted him, shooting him a warning glare, "As tragic as these losses are, it could have been much worse. I'm relieved that Laufey has surrendered. You've done well, son. We will honour the soldiers."

"I am sure that will comfort their families", Loki muttered, and received another glare, this time from both his brother and mother.

"Well", Thor said, "What's happened, happened. Now it's time to celebrate our victory!"

Frigga smiled. "Your father will be proud."

"And with great justice! Let us have a victory feast, my warriors and I deserve a worthy reward for our heroic deeds!"

Loki narrowed his eyes. Thor had not mentioned Layla yet, but he didn't expect him to have forgotten about his plans.

"How did you do, by the way, brother?" Thor suddenly asked, and Loki raised his eyebrows.

"Magnificently."

"You did not let my kingdom descend into chaos, then?"

Loki huffed, but before he could reply, Frigga cleared her throat. "Speaking of which - son, I have heard about your plans with the mortal slave. If you want to keep the kingdom of descending into chaos, you should have second thoughts about that."

Thor and Loki both looked at her in surprise.

"What are you talking about?" Thor asked.

"The public mood, especially in the lower classes, is still not stable enough for anything to happen to her, and the girl is much too fragile to handle you and your warriors."

"Oh please, mother, you worry too much! She will be fine, she -"

Frigga interrupted him. "Let me make it clear to you. _This will not happen_."

Thor stared at his mother. "You - you cannot give me _orders_ , mother -"

"As the queen, I cannot, but as your mother, I do. And I expect you to show me enough respect to listen to me, son."

Loki watched Thor grow pale at his mother's words. He clearly didn't dare to reply to that.

"Mother", he said eventually, "I don't understand why you give so much weight to some random slave."

Frigga narrowed her eyes at her elder son. "Do I have to remind you of how outraged the lower classes have been after the incident at your coronation feast? The girl has become a symbol for the questionable treatment of slaves in Asgard, and if she gets hurt now - I must say I am quite concerned of the consequences it might unleash in our society."

"But - well, she won't get hurt, then -"

Frigga shook her head. "Thor, you will not use the girl again."

Thor crossed his arms. "You can't be serious, mother, she is _meant_ to be used, she is _a pleasure slave!_ "

"And she is being used as such. But considering her fragile being and her significance for our political affairs, she needs to be treated with more circumspection than others."

Thor snorted. "You ascribe too much importance to a single mortal slave."

Frigga shot him a glare. "I have my knowledge on good authority. It is safe to assume that the lower classes might declare a strike if anything happened to the girl."

"Well, let them strike -"

Loki couldn't hold himself back anymore. "Don't be a fool, Thor! Do you have any idea of the consequences if our maids and servants call out on strike?"

Thor shrugged. "We will punish them -"

Frigga shook her head in disbelief. "Son, listen to reason. A strike would be disastrous. It is the last thing Asgard needs to deal with right now. And your father would definitely not be pleased if he has to face a broken kingdom once he awakens."

"Besides", Loki smirked, "You would have to serve you your mead and ale yourself."

Thor looked at Loki, horrified.

"Son", Frigga said softly, "Trust me on this."

For a while, they all remained silent.

"Fine", Thor muttered eventually and shot Loki a glare. "So be it. Keep your whore, brother."

"Don't call her that" slipped out of Loki's mouth before he could withhold himself, and he instantly realized his mistake when the corners of Thor's mouth curled into a triumphant smile.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki spent most of his day with Thor. They had agreed that it would be wise to develop a new defence strategy to be prepared in case Laufey would breach the truce agreement, and wheras they both had very different opinions on the most efficient strategy, it took quite a while until they had finally found a solution both men agreed on.

They did not talk about Layla once, and Loki wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad sign. He had difficulties believing that Thor had truly given up on his plan after their mother's intervening, especially considering the smug grin he had given Loki at the end of their conversation, but since Thor didn't mention it, Loki chose to not bring it up, either.

He visited his mother afterwards, who was sitting at her husband's side, reading what Loki knew was Odin's favourite book of poetry to him. He approached them slowly, admiring his mother's endless love and devotion to Odin. When she noticed Loki, she looked up from the book and smiled at her youngest son.

"I did not mean to disturb you", Loki said, but his mother waved her hand.

"You did not. I am glad to see you. How did your and Thor's talk go?"

Loki sighed. "It went well. We could finally agree on a military strategy to defend Asgard in the case of an attack."

Frigga smiled. "The two of you are brilliant combatants, though you fight and scheme so differently. If both of you agree on a military strategy, it must truly be a great one."

When Loki sat down next to his mother, he took her hand. "I want to thank you for reasoning Thor out of his plan with the slave girl. I doubt that she would have been able to endure it."

"I agree, son. She is strong, but there is only so much a woman can take."

When Loki nodded silently, Frigga looked at him, frowning. "What is it that's on your mind?"

"Mother?"

Frigga cocked her head. "Do you truly think you can hide your troubles from your own mother?"

Loki smiled guiltily. As good as he was in deceiving others, he had never been successful in hiding his feelings from his mother.

"It is the slave girl, isn't it?" she continued, and Loki looked up at her in surprise. "Oh Loki", she laughed, "I have met her, and I have watched you ever since she has arrived here. She is something special, something precious. And you have changed since she is around."

"Changed?"

"The kind of change only a woman can cause."

Loki stared at her in disbelief. "She is a slave!"

"And a woman. A beautiful, kind and defiant woman."

"Mother, you cannot possibly think that I would ever demean myself to court a _slave!_ "

Frigga smiled knowingly. "I think that you are an extraordinary man who has found an extraordinary woman. Love knows no estates, no races and no rationality, son."

"Love?" Loki spluttered, "You think I _love_ her?"

"I think you care more for her than for any other slave before her."

Loki looked down. "I do", he admitted, "There is just something about her - I cannot name it -"

Frigga gave her best to stifle a smirk. She was quite sure that _she_ could have named it - but it was up to Loki to figure out his feelings for the girl.

Loki watched his mother cautiously. She may be able to see when he hid something from her, but he was just as able to see through her, too, and the way she looked at him now told him that she was still thinking about the girl and her meaning to him. He didn't feel comfortable with this issue.

"Well, I should go now. I have to finish some researches I started on a certain kind of spellwork", he mumbled and rose from his chair.

"May you do well, son. Enjoy your evening."

"You too, mother. I will see you tomorrow."

When Loki had already reached the door, Frigga called for him. "Loki?"

He turned around and saw his mother smiling.

"The way you've changed since the girl is here - it is certainly a good way."

 


	23. Say That You've Missed Me

This was ridiculous. His mother had been waiting and hoping for her sons to finally start courting women for a while, but now her impatience for grandchildren has clearly taken a toll on her.

He and a slave girl. _Ridiculous_.

Loki was strutting through the hallways, lost in his thoughts. That he cared more for Layla than he had for his former bedslaves did not mean that he _loved_ her, he was _far_ from loving her; he was far from loving _any_ woman, actually. He'd had brief relationships in the past, but most women simply bored him after a while, and he had never felt the need or the will to spend more than a few weeks or maybe months with them. The inevitable drama that followed each of his decisions to end a relationship had driven him to preferring bedmaids over actual partners at some point - this way he could satisfy his carnal desires without the attached commitments and stress. This decision had definitely alleviated his life. Until now, that was.

He was still brooding over his mother's words when he pushed the door to his chambers open, and he was slightly startled when he saw Layla jump up from her chair, pale and with puffy, wet eyes, her arms crossed in front of her chest as if she tried to protect herself from whoever it was that had just entered the room.

"Have you been crying?" he asked her with a frown, and she lowered her gaze.

"I apologize, Your Highness."

He raised his brows. "For crying?"

Layla glanced at him. He seemed amused, which was usually a good sign, so she nodded. Loki sighed and headed towards her. When he was close enough for Layla to see his face, she was surprised of the gentleness she could see in it.

"You have been scared of my brother all day, have you not?"

She stiffened, but nodded again, insecure of how he would react.

Loki eyed her ruefully. He hadn't even thought about how she must have been feeling today. She had obviously stayed in his chambers, just as he had told her to, and she had probably been waiting for Thor and his friends to come and get her all day, anxiously, desperately, and seemingly crying her eyes out.

"Do not worry about him anymore. He will not touch you again", he said softly, and Layla didn't know what surprised her more - his words or the tight embrace he suddenly pulled her in. She slumped against him, breathing in his enticing scent, and closed her eyes when he started to stroke her head soothingly.

They stood there for a moment until Layla's stomach suddenly growled loudly, finally demanding the food she had denied it the entire day due to her loss of appetite.

Layla blushed deeply, but Loki chuckled at the sound. "Have you not eaten?"

She shook her head silently, and Loki let go of her and gave her a smile. "Let us dine, then."

"What?"

The word had slipped out of her mouth before she could think about it, but fortunately, Loki just smirked at her.

"Well, you are hungry and I am hungry, thus I assumed it a reasonable decision to have dinner. Would you not agree?"

Layla was very tempted to say "What the fuck", but this time, she pressed her lips together instead and just nodded.

When they sat down at the table in the dining room, a maid Layla had seen in the kitchen before entered with several trays of food. She'd have to ask him how he ordered his food one day, Layla thought, everytime he wanted to eat something, somebody just knocked on his door and served him whatever it was that he desired.

Layla smiled at the maid and thanked her for the dinner, and the maid looked at her in utter confusion before she said "You're welcome" with a hint of insecurity that told Layla that she had probably never been thanked for doing her job before.

When the maid had disappeared, Layla looked at Loki. "Are you sure about - um -"

"My brother. Yes. He will not use you again, I have taken care of that."

Loki smiled smugly as Layla looked at him gratefully. Only a single word of his sentence had been a lie - _I_ \- yet it had completely changed Layla's reaction. Instead of thanking his mother, she would now think that she owed her thanks to him, Loki - and that pleased him immensely.

"Thank you", she whispered, still looking uncertain, though, and Loki's smugness was replaced with affection very quickly.

"Cease your worrying, pet. I will not let anything happen to you, nor will I allow anyone to touch you. And now, enjoy your meal."

 

* * *

 

  
The next two weeks were surprisingly pleasant - but also quite confusing, to say the least.

Layla was endlessly relieved that she didn't see Thor or his friends at all anymore, and Loki also spent most of his days outside of the palace, doing whatever it was a god and prince of a foreign world would be doing, and his absence allowed Layla to spend a lot of time with Anjali and Shiari. The two maids enjoyed to show Layla the palace gardens and the many rivers and lakes surrounding them, and the three of them quickly became friends. Layla found both comfort in the presence of the two women and a welcomed possibility of distraction from her misery.

Things with Loki have been awkward. He always returned to his chambers in the evenings, and his mood was varying between the extremes lately. He was either very kind and gentle towards her or completely distant and cold, and the latter irritated her highly - but at least he was never cruel. He always wanted to sleep with her, though, but while he was still rough most of the times, he never hurt her severely and often even made sure that she enjoyed it, as well.

Sometimes Loki didn't return until it was late night and Layla went to bed alone - to her own bed in the spare room - though she always woke up in Loki's bed the next morning. From time to time she found herself to be undressed and a little sore in the morning, and she was quite sure that he didn't just carry her into his own bed at these nights but ravished her while she was sleeping, too, and she tried her best to just not think about that - it creeped her out when she did.

The evenings that Loki was good-humoured were her favourites. He was charming then, made her laugh a lot and just talked with her - about his life and hers, about books they both had read or books that he recommended to her, and about Asgard and its history - and Layla enjoyed these evenings more than she even realized, even more than the ones she could spend by herself. They would have dinner together, sometimes a glass of wine, too, they'd talk to each other and sometimes tease one another, and at some point they would start kissing and ended up in bed, relishing each other's bodies and touches. It was almost harmonious, peaceful - it felt as if they were not just a master and his helpless slave, but - and Layla blushed when she dared to think about it - _a loving couple_.

But these evenings were always followed by the ones where Loki acted distantly and thoughtlessly, not bothering to talk to her at all before he undressed her and slammed into her from behind without a care for her feelings or her pleasure, treating her exactly like one would expect a prince to treat some random pleasure slave. To her own surprise and embarrassment Layla felt her heart break a little more on every day that he treated her this way, and somehow, the memory of the previous, almost romantic evening always made his sudden change of demeanour even harder for her to take. But he never hurt her physically and that, she kept telling herself, was the only thing that truly mattered.

She was convinced that there was something deeply wrong with him. It was almost as if he was split in two different persons when he was around her - her kind, affectionate lover and her cold, heartless master. Sometimes she wondered if he might have grown to actually like her and care about her, after all - but then he'd return to his chambers the next evening to remind her that the mere thought of him caring about a mortal slave at all was ridiculous and almost revolting.

After two weeks of this emotional roller coaster, Layla found herself in a conversation about the prince with Shiari and Anjali. It was late afternoon and the three of them had finished their daily tasks - Shiari was waiting for her husband Brios to pick her up and head home with her, Anjali would later go back to the slave quarters and Layla still had some time left until sunset, which was her signal to return to Loki's chambers. They had sneaked out a few fruits and sweets from the kitchen and sat on a meadow in the palace garden, snacking their stolen goods and chatting about their days.

It was a wonderful, sunny day, and Layla had just closed her eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine on her skin when Anjali suddenly said something that caught Layla's attention.

"So is it true that Loki is courting someone?"

Layla looked at her, startled, and Anjali went on, "I heard one of the Three Warriors say something to Thor about Loki acting all lovesick lately."

Layla felt an uncomfortably tight knot form in her stomach. Loki was in love with someone? Was that why he came back into his chambers so late sometimes? Was that why he was in such a strange mood lately, changing from one extreme into the other? Was all of this because of a woman? To her own irritation, Layla felt an odd pang of jealousy in her heart.

"I don't know", she said slowly, her voice unfamiliar to her own ears, "He didn't say anything."

"And you didn't see anyone, either? He never brought a woman into his chambers lately?"

Layla's heart skipped a beat. She had never thought about this before, but of course - if Loki was dating a woman, he'd bring her into his chambers one day, he'd let her sleep in the very bed Layla slept in every night, he'd sleep with her the same way he slept with Layla - _only that he'd actually make love to this woman instead of just fucking her like a whore_ , a vicious little voice in Layla's head said, and her heart became even heavier.

"No", she said, "Never."

"Well, maybe you just haven't seen her in his chambers yet, maybe she leaves early", Anjali mused.

Layla let out a choked laugh. "I guess I'd notice if somebody slept in the bed with us", she said sarcastically and frowned when both Anjali and Shiari looked at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"He lets you sleep in his bed?" Shiari asked, irritated, and Layla nodded.

"I sleep there every night." She watched Shiari and Anjali suspiciously. "Why, is that uncommon?"

"Very", they both said simultaneously, and Anjali went on, "He usually has his personal bedslaves sleep in the spare room all the time, and the others sleep in the slave quarters. I've never heard of anyone sharing his bed with a pleasure slave for more than, well, their pleasure."

"He must like you", Shiari said with a smile, and Layla blushed.

"Sometimes I think so, too", she admitted quietly, "But then, he gets so cold again and treats me like - well, like the slave that I am", she ended bitterly.

"Well, if there's actually somebody he's courting, maybe he likes to have you close to him to distract himself from the woman he actually wants to be with - but maybe he just likes you, too", Anjali quickly added when Shiari gave her a reproachful look.

"I don't think so", Layla said, feeling truly miserable now. Anjali's first suggestion actually sounded reasonable. Loki was in love with someone, and to have her, Layla, in his bed at night just distracted him from his lovesickness. Did he think about this woman when he slept with Layla? Was that why he was so tender and affectionate sometimes? Because he imagined her to be someone else, someone he _actually_ cared for?

"I'm sorry, Layla", Anjali murmured, "My mom always told me that I should think before I speak. I guess she was right."

Layla gave her best to smile at her and took a hunangberry - an asgardian fruit that looked like yellow raspberries, but tasted much sweeter, almost like honey.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I just wondered - what will happen to me if the prince actually, you know, starts to date a woman?"

Shiari smiled warmly at Layla. "Don't worry about that. Loki hasn't been involved with a woman in this way for centuries." She lowered her voice conspirationally. "I know that the Queen is quite desperate for her sons to finally find a wife or at least a partner, and if there was somebody Loki was seeing, I'd know."

"But what _if_ he ever dated anyone? He would't use me then anymore, would he?"

"No", Shiari confirmed, "That would be inappropriate."

Layla swallowed. "So - what would he do with me, then?"

Shiari and Anjali exchanged a look. "I don't know", Shiari admitted, "Nobody knows where his former bedslaves are, either."

"We're probably just sitting on their graves right now", Anjali giggled, and again, Shiari gave her a stern look, this time nudging her side with her elbow. "Oh, come on, I'm just joking", Anjali said and looked at Layla, "You know that, right?"

Layla nodded with a forced smile. She was still trying to get used to Anjali's morbid sense of humour.

"Did the queen say anything about the woman he's courting?" Anjali asked curiously.

Shiari shook her head. "Nothing. Maybe it's just a rumour."

Anjali raised her shoulders. "Maybe."

The three women looked up when somebody approached them, and Shiari jumped to her feet when she realized that it was her husband. He smiled lovingly at her and pulled her in an embrace, and Shiari planted a kiss on his lips before she turned around to her friends again.

"I know you two have met before, but still - Brios, this is Layla, Layla, my husband, Brios."

"Hello", Layla said a little shyly, but Brios gave her a kind smile.

"Hello, Layla. Hey, Anjali, little minx."

"Hi, Prince Charming", Anjali smirked.

Brios and Shiari sat down, and Brios looked at Layla. "Your horse misses you."

Layla laughed. "I doubt that she's my horse. But I miss her, too. How is she?"

"She's fine, but she still won't let anybody touch her. Why don't you come over and visit her from time to time?"

"I didn't know I was allowed to", Layla said, surprised.

Brios smirked. "Well, I suppose you should ask the prince, too, but for my part, you're more than welcome."

"Thank you", Layla beamed at him, "I'll ask the prince - well, as soon as he's in the mood to be asked anything", she added quickly.

Brios frowned. "You know what, don't ask him. I'll do it. I'll tell him that I could need help with Alamea - that's certainly the truth."

Layla stared at him. "You would do that for me?"

"Sure."

Shiari patted her husband's hand playfully. "Isn't he a gentleman? That's my education."

Brios laughed, and Shiari gave him a chaste kiss.

"Let's go then, love, shall we?" she suggested, and they both stood up.

"As you wish, my dearest", Brios replied with a smirk, and he and Shiari said goodbye to Layla and Anjali before they walked away, holding hands.

The other two women's gaze followed them.

"She's so lucky", Anjali sighed, "Brios is great. Not my type, but still, great. I didn't even have a date for - oh dear, I don't even remember."

Layla's gaze was still glued to the couple. "I can't believe he freed her from slavery. It sounds almost too good to be true."

Anjali smiled at her. "Trust me, it's true. I've witnessed everything. Back then, we still lived together, we shared a room in the slave quarters, and Shiari told me every little detail. Their first date, their first kiss - other first times... and then, the wedding... Oh, it was so wonderful." She sighed. "I was her maid of honour. I couldn't stop crying."

Layla smiled, too. "They look so happy together", she mumbled, and Anjali nodded.

"They are."

When she saw Layla's eyes glisten, she winked at her. "Hey, don't be sad. We've still got all our lives in front of us. Maybe there's a Prince Charming waiting for us somewhere, too."

"As for me, I sincerely doubt it", Layla murmured, and Anjali sighed.

"As for me, I doubt it, too. But you never know for sure, do you?"

Layla was certain that in her case, she knew for _pretty_ sure, but she nodded.

"I should return to the prince's chambers", she said after a moment, "The sun is about to set."

They picked up the remnants of their little picnic and slowly walked back towards the palace. When they passed the slave quarters, Anjali smiled at Layla. "Don't let Prince Prick let you down, hm?"

 

 

* * *

 

  
When Loki opened his eyes a week later, he looked straight into Layla's. She blinked and quickly looked away when he suddenly returned her gaze, and Loki smirked.

"Pet. Why were you watching me sleeping?"

Layla's cheeks were crimson. "I'm sorry, Your Highness."

"That is not an answer."

"I'm just - I was just - curious - I haven't seen you much lately - you've always returned to your chambers when I've already been asleep and in the mornings, you've already left before I've woken up -"

Loki smiled smugly. "Ah, I see. You missed me."

Layla's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "No, I just - I wondered where you are all the time -"

The prince raised his eyebrows. "Do you ask for accountability, pet?" He emphasized the last word, clearly trying to remind her of her place in his life, and Layla shook her head.

"No, of course not. I was just curious. I apologize."

Loki grinned. "You are forgiven." He yawned. "It seems that I have neglected you, little one. Shall I make up for it?"

Layla bit her lips. Ever since Anjali had mentioned the possibility of Loki courting a woman a week ago, Layla hadn't seen him at all anymore. She went into the spare room's bed late in the evening and she woke up in Loki's bed in the morning - that was the only thing that told her that he'd even been in his chambers at all. As stupid and misplaced as her feelings were; she couldn't help but wonder where he was all the time and why she didn't see him anymore. And yes - she'd never tell him, but - she _had_ missed him.

Loki cupped Layla's face and watched her curiously.

The last weeks he had spent most of his time in the training area, trying to enhance and intensify the training of the soldiers he had been working with for the last year, and in the last week or so he had been training them from early morning till late evening on every single day. In only a few days, the soldiers in training would have to prove themselves worthy to the king, who would decide if they'd be accepted as Einherjar - the group of elite warriors whose duty it was to protect Asgard and the nine realms. In the past, with Odin as king, Thor had been responsible for the applicants' preparations for the Einherjar selection demonstration. Now that Thor was king, he'd assigned this task to his brother, and Loki was determined to present him an especially well-trained group of warriors. He hadn't managed to do anything else beside the training; for the last week he had even been too exhausted to sleep with his little mortal when he had finally returned to his chambers in the evening - he'd just picked her up and carried her into his bed, pulling her into his embrace and enjoying the peace her closeness always gave him. He would never tell let alone show her, but he had slowly begun to miss her. Not just fucking her, but talking to her, too, laughing with her, dining with her.

In the last couple of weeks he had spent a few precious, almost romantic evenings with Layla, and as much as he had enjoyed their time together - when he had awakened the next morning, he had always been chastising himself for giving in to his inappropriate feelings and decided to keep his distance from Layla again. But he was never able to follow through with his plan to stay away from her for long; he just couldn't withstand the temptation of giving in to this woman, and soon he had found himself relishing another most inappropiate evening.

The up and down of their interactions had slowly driven him mad. And when he had begun to step up his efforts of training the best damn Einherjar applicants his brother had ever seen, he hadn't managed to see Layla at all anymore, at least not awake, and he had begun to yearn for her presence. In the very moment that he had caught her watching him sleeping, he could very clearly see the same yearning in her beautiful eyes, and he suddenly found himself wondering if he might start the soldiers' training a little later today.

"Well?" he said, smirking, "Shall I make up for neglecting you?"

Layla blushed and nodded sheepishly, and Loki felt his cock stiffen at the innocent gesture.

"Well, come here then, my sweet one", he purred, and Layla, rather insecurely, leaned forwards to brush her lips against his.

He quickly pulled her close, entering her mouth with a hot, passionate kiss that left them both breathless. Neither of them said it out loud, but they both relished the other one's touch that they had been missing for so long.

Layla's hands were buried in Loki's soft, tousled hair that was falling into his face, and Loki pulled down her nightgown and cupped her breasts, brushing her nipples with his thumbs. He pressed his already rock hard cock against her body and she moaned longingly.

"You cannot wait for me to take you, can you?" Loki said, his voice hoarse, and Layla moaned as his hand slipped underneath her nightgown to cup her womanhood.

"Answer me, pet."

"Yes -" Layla sighed, "I mean, no - I can't wait -"

Loki chuckled, circling her clit with his thumb while his other fingers were teasing her wet folds.

"You are dripping wet for me", he crooned, "You are such a good little pet, are you not?"

"Yes, Your Highness", Layla panted, already shivering from the sensation of Loki's touch.

She reached out to grab Loki's cock and he growled when she began to slip up and down his length.

"Will you show me what a good little pet you are?" Loki whispered into her ear, and Layla nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

She knew what he was asking her to do, and she didn't hesitate to crawl down and position herself between his spread legs, pushing his cock between her parted lips. She could taste a little drop of precum on its tip and licked it clean, making Loki groan out in pleasure. When she looked up at Loki, she was relieved to see him returning her gaze affectionately. He often lost his self-control when she took care of him in this way and turned into a merciless, brutal monster, but right now he seemed to just enjoy what she was doing to him.

Layla took his whole length into her throat, gagging a little, and Loki growled at the sound, reaching out for her head and petting her hair gently. "Such an eager little thing."

Layla's head bobbed up and down, her lips wrapped around Loki's hard cock, and when she could feel it twitch a little, he suddenly withdrew his length from her mouth. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked fearfully, and Loki smirked.

She had _really_ become a good little pet.

"No, pet, you have done very well", he purred, "But I want to come deep inside of you, spilling my seed into your cunt while you come undone beneath me."

He turned her around in a swift movement, pinning her wrists above her head and positioning his throbbing length at her entrance. Layla moaned at the sight - she needed him inside of her now, her whole body longed to be filled with him, to feel his hardness inside of her -

Loki pushed his cock in slowly, very slowly, _tormentingly_ slowly, and Layla tried to lift her hips to make him slide in deeper. He chuckled, holding her hips in place and still shoving his length into her core at a painful pace, inch for inch.

"Please, Loki", Layla panted, "Please, go quicker, I need you inside of me -"

She knew, just as she always knew, that this was wrong, but the shame that she had used to feel when she felt pleasure with Loki had become something she'd simply chosen to ignore. He would take her either way, and by now she knew very well that he would see  any sign of denial as nothing but a challenge to break her with even more force. And if there was a way to survive this with a hint of pleasure, why should she fight it? For her _dignity?_ That horse had been out of the barn a long time ago.

Loki smirked smugly. "I do love it when you beg me", he breathed, "But I am not sure if you have begged me enough to allow you to come."

He withdrew himself a bit, threatening to leave her body again, and Layla whined in desperation. The tension inside of her had become unbearable.

"No, please, please, Your Highness, stay -"

Loki pushed back in, just an inch, and Layla started to sob out. She only needed a few thrusts now and she would explode in pleasure, she could almost feel it, it was so _close_ -

With a low chuckle Loki started to wriggle his hips a bit and Layla cried out.

"Please, please take me, Loki, let me come - I'm your good girl, Loki, please allow me to come - please _fuck me_ -"

She had never said these last words before, and even if Loki had wanted to keep up his slow torture, he couldn't have. When his little defiant mortal girl suddenly begged him to fuck her, he thrusted deep into her core, grabbing her hips at both sides to pull her pelvis against his and give her exactly what she needed.

Layla screamed out in relief and pleasure, grabbing his strong arms that were holding her hips, and she could feel the wave of euphoria roll nearer.

"Oh my god, yes, thank you -"

Loki fucked her hard and fast now, moaning ecstatically when he felt both her and his peak nearing. She just felt so good, how could he ever have been so stupid to deny himself this feeling of her tight, hot cunt around his cock and the sight of her reddened face, moaning in wild pleasure?

"Say that you've missed me", he demanded.

Layla groaned, "I've missed you - I've really missed you - you feel so good - so good -"

Loki halted his movements immediately and Layla whimpered, scared that he would begin to torture her with his slow pace again. He looked down at her with a frown. "You've only missed my cock?"

Layla was too far gone to be confused, to wonder why he'd ask such a thing, she couldn't think straight anymore and she just cried out the truth. "No, oh god, I've missed all of you - I've missed you so much, Loki - so -"

Loki pressed his lips against hers and forced his tongue into her mouth before she could even finish her answer. As he continued fucking her passionately, they both moaned into each other's mouths and their moans became screams of ecstasy when they reached their high at the very same moment. Layla's tight inner walls convulsed around Loki's hard, twitching cock, and he filled her with his huge load, never ceasing his thrusts into her core.

Layla was riding the wave of her pleasure, screaming into Loki's mouth, her whole body jerking beneath him, and it was so intense that it felt blissful when her high pushed her into a pitch-black, peaceful darkness.

The god above her, still thrusting into her now motionless body, spilled another string of seed into Layla's core when he realized that she had passed out from her orgasm. He kept fucking her, riding out his own climax as long as he could, until he felt utterly spent and contented. With a last, forceful thrust he buried himself to the hilt inside of her and stayed there as he lay down on her warm body, bracing his weight with his elbows. He planted a few soft kisses on her lips before he slowly withdrew himself and collapsed beside her, pulling her into his strong arms to hold her tightly.

"I've missed you, too, pet", he mumbled quietly before he drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

 

 


	24. My Brave Little Mortal

Layla and Loki slept for another full hour, their bodies intertwined, and when Loki woke up again to look at his satisfied little slave, he wished he could just stay in bed with her for the rest of the day.

 _Just four more days until the Einherjar selection_ , he told himself, _I'll have more than enough time for her - for this - when the selection is over._

He would make sure that he'd make up for all the missed time. Maybe he should just take his mortal somewhere else - a little vacation perhaps, somewhere far away from the palace where it would be only him and Layla and a lot of free time. He smiled at the thought. Inappropriate or not - he has worked hard in these last few weeks and he certainly deserved a break.

He stretched his arms and kissed Layla's forehead before he rose from the bed. When he heard a humming sound behind him, he turned back around.

"Mhh, where are you going?" Layla asked sleepily.

"I have to go, little one. You may sleep a while longer."

Layla blinked at him. "Will you be back tonight?"

"That is unlikely."

She made a disappointed noise and Loki sat down next to her again, running his hands through her tousled hair.

"I know you have been missing me, darling. That pleases me. I intend to make up for it."

Layla smiled, already drifting off to slumber again, and Loki made sure that she was tucked in properly before he stood up, got dressed and, with a last longing look back to his bed, left his chambers.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Layla didn't see Loki in the following days, and again, she felt a painful sensation in her chest when she wondered what it was that kept him so busy. Was Anjali right; was there a woman in his life? And why was the thought of it so incredibly painful for her? It was absurd, really, she should be glad that he didn't use her as much as he had before and she should also be glad that there might be another woman that pulled his attention away from Layla now. Maybe he could just keep her as a chambermaid instead of killing her, that sounded reasonable to her, and it would mean that she'd only be freed of her duties as a pleasure slave - which was what she had wanted all along, wasn't it?

But there was no feeling of relief or gratitude or happiness at all. Instead, she felt alone, her heart was shattering whenever she thought about his lips on another woman's mouth and it actually hurt her physically to envision somebody else lying in his arms at night.

It was two days after the sweet morning they had shared when she suddenly realized what it was that kept torturing her mind so cruelly. Jealousy. It was painfully obvious, really, and she supposed that somehow, she had known it all along, but chosen to ignore the truth behind the strange pangs she felt everytime she went to bed alone. _Jealousy._ Jealousy for the man that had captured, hurt and raped her. That was absurd, it was outrageous - but it was the truth, and she really couldn't deny it anymore when she caught herself searching Loki's clothes for any sign of a woman he might have been with before she washed them, much like a cheated wife that snooped around in her husband's belongings to find any evidence for her anxious suspicions.

It was three days after Layla had seen Loki last when she put on one of his more casual shirts in the evening because she missed falling asleep in his embrace so badly that she longed to at least be surrounded by his scent when she curled up in her empty bed. She'd decided that she wouldn't fight against the things that made her miserable life here a bit easier to take anymore, no matter how appalling and contradicting they might be. Her wish to be as close to Loki as possible was certainly not healthy nor reasonable, but it was there, and if she felt better wearing his shirt at night, why should she restrain herself from doing so?

It was four days after their last encounter when Layla woke up in the middle of the night from hungry hands that were wandering over her body. It was still dark in the room and she moaned sleepily.

"Loki? Is that you?"

"Of course it is me. Be silent", Loki's voice groaned.

"Whatya doing?"

"Using you", he growled, grabbing her breasts, and there was something in his voice that made her wide-awake.

She narrowed her eyes to look at him, but she couldn't see more than his silhouette.

"Is it still night?" she asked carefully.

"Yes. Be still now."

He kneaded her breasts roughly and kicked her legs apart with his knee, and Layla cried out when she suddenly felt him bite into one of her breasts.

"Ouch, Loki, what the fuck are you -"

His hand was on her throat in a split second. "Is that how you speak to your master?" he hissed, and Layla swallowed.

Something was very, very wrong.

"You-your Highness, what is - what is wrong?" she gasped.

"That is none of your interest, slave", he snarled, "Hold still now and spread your legs for me."

"But -"

He slapped her face, hard, and Layla cried out again.

"What was that, slave?"

"Loki", she whispered pleadingly, "Please, what's -"

"Enough", he hissed, "Spread your legs, or I will tie you down!"

Layla spread her legs as wide as she could and pressed her eyelids shut. He hasn't been like this in weeks. This couldn't be happening. Maybe she was just dreaming.

"There we are", he growled, grabbing her hips roughly, and when he bit into her other breast, Layla fought hard not to cry out again. Unfortunately, hearing her crying was exactly what Loki wanted. For a brief second he was amazed by Layla's self-control, but then it just spurred him more and he bit down with even more force until she finally screamed out. He could taste blood when he let go.

"You looked sweet with my clothes on your lovely body, but you look even sweeter with my bite marks on it", he growled, and Layla whimpered in response.

Was he angry because she'd been wearing his shirt? But it hadn't bothered him yesterday, had it? When she had woken up this morning, she had been in his bed, just as every morning, and she had still been wearing his shirt. So she'd figured that he hadn't minded her borrowing his clothes.

He let out a deep growl as he pulled her hips closer to him.

"This is going to hurt, little one", he snarled as he positioned himself between her legs, "And I want to hear all your crying and screaming. You are mine and every sound that you make is mine, too, so do not dare to keep any of them away from me."

Layla was terrified by his behaviour, but she didn't dare to say another word. She was so anxious that her whole body tensed up, which made it even more painful when Loki suddenly slammed his whole length into her unprepared entrance at once. She wailed, her head dizzy with pain, and instinctively pushed her hands against his chest.

"Ah, are you trying to push me away?" Loki chuckled cruelly, "That is so sweet, mortal."

His fingers dug into her hips, bruising her flesh as he pulled her pelvis against his body to bury himself even deeper inside of her core. Her tight tunnel fought the intrusion persistently, but effortlessly, and Loki thrusted into her again and again, relishing her screams of agony and humiliation. She had started to beg him to stop, but Loki just chuckled darkly at her pleads, fucking her with even more force than before.

Layla couldn't see much in the dark, but Loki's sight was in no way affected, and while Layla's terrified gaze and her tear-stained face had aroused and spurred him in the beginning, it was suddenly starting to distract him. He loved to hear Layla beg and scream beneath him, but somehow, seeing her beautiful face twisted with pain diverted him from his mad pleasure.

He frowned before he turned her around in a swift movement and grabbed her hair, pushing her face into the pillow. Layla flailed around, terrified of being smothered, and Loki moaned when he caught her wrists and held them behind her back with his other hand as he thrusted his painfully hard cock into her again. Her helplessness and the muffled sounds that she made pushed him over the edge after a few more thrusts.

He let out a deep growl when he spilled several ropes of seed into her, ramming his member against her cervix one last time to hear one of her delicious, smothered screams again, before he collapsed on top of her, knocking the last bit of breath out of Layla's aching body.

With his pent-up tension gone and his carnal needs utterly satisfied, Loki let go of Layla's hair, allowing her to finally lift her head and gasp for air. He pulled out of her with an obscene sound and lay down next to her, watching her as she curled up into a ball with her back to Loki. When he saw her bare shoulders tremble and realized that she was still weeping, he let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes for a second.

This day's training had been terrible, to say the least. Never before have his warriors been fighting as pathetical as today, and of course Thor had chosen today of all days to come and visit the training area. Seeing the unimposing efforts of his warriors, Thor had ridiculed Loki for being an even worse instructor than he had expected, and he had sneered at him that it might be reasonable to cancel the selection ceremony to spare Loki the public humiliation of proving him incapable of training a single warrior as an eligible Einherjar.

Loki had been furious and he'd forced the applicants to train even harder until it was late night, but he had been far from satisfied with their demonstrations and when he had allowed them to leave, he had been wondering if Thor might have been right. If they'd perform tomorrow as they had today, it could actually happen that not even a single one of his warriors would prove himself worthy of becoming an Einherjar, and that would certainly be a downright disgrace for Loki.

When he had finally returned into his chambers, he had been filled with cold anger and tension that he had desperately needed to release, and his little mortal, sleeping peacefully in her bed with one of his shirts wrapped around her sweet body, had been too tempting to be spared. He had grabbed her roughly to carry her into his own bed, and when she had refused to submit to him, it had enraged him even more.

It had been just what he'd needed, to dominate her, to hurt her, to fuck her hard and mercilessly, and his release had been divine, but now as he was sobering down again, her desperate sobs were giving him a twinge of conscience.

"Darling?" he said softly, but Layla didn't answer. "Little one, come here."

She didn't move, but he could feel her body tremble with fear and pain and she was still weeping bitterly. Loki let out a breath and touched her shoulder to turn her around, and she recoiled.

"Don't touch me", she cried, and Loki's own heart ached at the sound of heartbreak in her voice.

He picked her up and cradled her in his arms, ignoring her feeble attempts of fighting him.

"Shh now, it is over, you have done well", he murmured, brushing his lips over her face to kiss her tears away, but she only cried harder at this.

"Don't - don't pretend that you care now", she sobbed out, "Just don't!"

Loki stroked her hair carefully. "This wasn't about you", he murmured absend-mindedly, "I had a terrible day."

"And - and then, you co-come here and ruin mine, too?"

The god kissed her forehead softly. "I needed this, little mortal."

Layla sobbed out again. "You're sick!"

When Loki tensed slightly at her insult, Layla suddenly wrapped her arms around his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't - don't hurt me again -"

The hint of anger left him at her words. "I will not hurt you anymore", he soothed, "Relax, little one."

He rubbed her cold shoulders, and she buried her wet face in the crook of his neck, still crying silently.

"I have a very important day tomorrow", he suddenly said, not sure why he felt the need to explain himself.

She didn't react. Loki wasn't even sure if she was listening to him.

"Are you in pain?" he asked softly, and Layla sniffed.

"Yes, I am in pain", she said hoarsely, "That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Loki kept stroking her head soothingly. "Yes, that's what I wanted. What I needed. But I do not wish for you to suffer any longer."

Layla shook her head that was still pressed against Loki's neck. She didn't know what to say. This man, this god, was terrifying, he was deranged, he had just raped and hurt her, and yet, the thing that hurt her most was the feeling of betrayal that she felt at the realization that he truly didn't care about her at all. He could have just slept with her, he knew very well that she wouldn't have fought him, but instead he had chosen to hurt her, to brutally assault her, and she had understood the poorly hidden message behind his actions - he didn't give a damn about her. And it broke her heart, even though she knew very well that it shouldn't. She had been _missing_ him, she had been wearing his shirts at night like a lovestruck teenager, but all that she was for him was a toy that he could use, hurt and even break if he so wished. Had she really been hoping that he'd care about her by now? Yes, she admitted to herself, that's exactly what she had been hoping for. But what he had just done to her had shattered all hopes she had ever had.

Her heartbreak was so overwhelming, so maddening, that she didn't think about it before she sobbed out, "I thought you liked me!"

Loki pressed her tightly against his bare chest, planting gentle kisses on her head. "Oh Layla", he murmured, "Sweet, little Layla."

He let his hands wander down her body, humming to her when she tensed up, and healed her bruises, scratches and bites, and he could feel how the girl relaxed a bit as her pain vanished.

"Thank you", she whispered, confused if she should thank him in the first place - do you thank somebody for healing the damage he has done himself?

Loki kissed the tip of her nose and lay back in the bed, keeping Layla in his arms, and she snuggled into him, too exhausted to fight her need for comfort any longer.

"Do you feel better?"

Layla sniffed. "You don't even care."

Loki whispered, "Yes, I do" before he kissed her lips softly.

Layla felt a few shaky butterflies spread their wings rather reluctantly inside of her queasy stomach. She was suddenly so tired, so weary, and all that she wanted now was to fall asleep in Loki's arms and pretend that this night has never happened.

 _He said that he cared_ , she thought sleepily, _he said that he cared. That's a start._

"Sleep, my brave little mortal", Loki murmured, and Layla realized that she was already struggling to keep her eyes open. But there was something she needed to say to him before she fell asleep.

"Loki?"

He hummed.

"Good luck tomorrow", Layla whispered, planting a chaste kiss on his cheek before she nuzzled into his arms and fell asleep.

Loki froze at her words.

He had been enraged when he had entered his chambers, he had been passionate when he had taken his mortal, he had been spent and contented after he had fucked her and he had been concerned and rueful when he had heard her weeping afterwards, but none of these feelings had been as strong as the one Layla's last words had evoked inside of him.

He had hurt this girl in the worst possible way tonight, and after everything he had done to her, he hadn't even brought himself to tell her how much she meant to him, even though it had been so very obvious that this had been the one thing that she had wanted, _needed_ to hear to find some peace after his assault. He had tortured her tonight, physically, sexually and emotionally, he had been cruel and vicious to her, but the last thing she had been thinking of before she had fallen asleep in her tormentor's arms had been to wish him good luck for tomorrow. She didn't even know what it was that would happen tomorrow, all that she knew was that Loki had been tense because of the next day and that this was the reason why he'd felt the need to hurt her so terribly, and instead of being bitter and malicious towards him, she had simply wished him good luck and kissed him good night.

At this moment his heart was aching so terribly with guilt and shame that he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down from the overwhelming feelings that were washing over him. When he opened his eyes again and looked down at Layla's still tear-stained cheeks, his chest twinged painfully.

He wasn't sure if he had not actually hurt himself more than Layla with what he had just done to her.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki was already gone when Layla woke up the next morning, and she sighed with relief at the realization.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes at the memory of last night. It was as if the last months had never happened, as if it had been their first night all over again, as if they had never made any progress at all - but they had, hadn't they? She shook her head angrily. It was her own fault, really - why had she ever expected him to have changed? Just a few nice evenings and a couple of nice words from him and she thought he was Prince Charming?

On the other hand - even yesterday, he had been sweet and caring afterwards, he had hugged her, he had said that he _cared_ , he had even apologized. Well, not exactly, but by now Layla knew Loki well enough to know that his actions after his assault had been his way of apologizing to her.

She buried her head beneath her pillow. This bastard was driving her crazy.

When she walked into the dining room to have breakfast, she frowned. The table was already set and there was a glass of juice and a tray filled with fruits, cheese, pieces of meat and some baked goods on the table. And holy shit, was that a _flower?_

Layla approached the table carefully, almost expecting it to attack her at any moment, and her mind was racing. This couldn't be for her, could it? But who else would it be for? Was it for the woman Loki was courting? But why should he make breakfast for her when she had clearly not spent the night in his chambers?

When she reached the table, she picked up the note that was lying on the plate.

 

 _Little one,_  
_Please enjoy your breakfast._  
_Maybe you would like to visit the stables when you have finished._  
_Have a wonderful day and take care of yourself._  
_Loki_

 

Layla read the note three times before her brain had finally processed the words. She stared at the elegant handwriting, then looked at the table and back at the note. Loki had prepared breakfast for her? He had placed a _flower_ on the table? And he had written her a note, wishing her a wonderful day? And... What the hell was happening here?

She looked at the breakfast again and realized that it wasn't just random kinds of food. She could only see her favourite fruits there, next to the asgardian baked goods that she liked so much, and the pieces of cheese and meat were exactly the kinds that she liked best. How did Loki know so well what kind of food she liked? Had he actually paid attention to her when they had been eating together?

When she looked back at the flower again, she frowned and reached out for it. She remembered this flower. When Loki had once shown her the palace gardens, she had admired it for its beauty, the vibrant red and pink colours and the wonderful smell. She even remembered the name he'd told her; the flower was called _elskablóm_. Did he place this particular flower here on purpose? Did he actually remember that she had liked it?

Highly irritated, she sat down and took a careful sip of the sweet juice. For a brief second the thought of Loki trying to poison her crossed her mind, but she shrugged it off - if he wanted to kill her, he would just do it, there was no reason for tricking her into eating poisoned food. She just didn't know what to think anymore. What should she be thinking about a man that raped her before he prepared her a lovely, romantic breakfast? God damn it, why couldn't he just let her hate him? Somehow, she thought, things would be easier if she could just hate him with all her being without this conflicting fondness of him. Well, actually, things would certainly be _easiest_ if he stopped being cruel and just indulged his softer side, but after last night, she decided that she wasn't stupid enough to still wait for that to happen.

But why this contradictory behaviour? Why did he have to be so sweet, so wonderful on the one day and so cruel and terrifying on the other? He would drive her insane with this emotional rollercoaster. Maybe he already had.

She read the note again and was surprised to feel her lips curl into a soft smile. This was the nicest, sweetest thing that Loki had ever done since she had become his slave. _Take care of yourself_. He _did_ care for her. Why else would he write that? Why would he give a damn about her breakfast, about her day, about anything at all if he didn't care for her, even if he had a very strange way of showing it?

Even if he was cruel and terrifying, even if he, for some disturbing reasons, needed to hurt her sometimes - this note, this flower, this breakfast proved that he did care about her.

Still smiling, Layla bit into one of the cakes and started to read the note again, and again and again, until she knew its content by heart.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Layla, hello!"

Layla beamed at Brios when she arrived at the stables. "Hello, Brios!"

He walked over to her and smiled at her. "It's nice to see you here."

"It's nice to be here, too! Thank you so much!"

The equerry frowned. "What for?"

"For asking the prince for my help. I don't think he would have allowed me to come, otherwise."

Brios smiled. "You're wrong, then. I didn't even ask him yet. I have barely seen him in the last weeks."

Layla looked at him in surprise. "So it was his idea to send me to the stables today? Why would he do that?"

"Who knows. I have long given up trying to understand this man."

The girl lowered her gaze. "Tell me about it", she murmured. "He's driving me crazy."

To her surprise, Brios laughed out loud. "He's driving me crazy, too, and I've known him for centuries. But at least I guess you had a lot of free time lately, right? Could you relax a bit?"

Layla furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

Brios suddenly looked insecure. "I didn't mean to be indiscrete. I just thought that you might be happy about a little break with the prince being so busy."

"He's busy?"

"Well, there's a reason I haven't seen him for weeks. He's been busy training day and night", Brios said. "You didn't notice?"

"I noticed that he wasn't around much, but - but I didn't know why", Layla said, surprised. "I thought -" She blushed. "I heard that there was a woman he was seeing."

Brios chuckled. "He may be a god, but I doubt that even he would be able to court a woman during the preparations for the Einherjar selection."

Layla stared at him. "The what?"

"Oh, the Einherjar are our best warriors, and once every year there is a ceremony to select new ones. Every applicant has to demonstrate his skills in front of the king who decides if they are selected or declined. This year, Prince Loki is responsible for the applicants' training." He smirked. "As far as I've heard, he's absolutely merciless with them. Training from early morning till late night, very few, short breaks - he's a good, but very strict instructor."

Layla was baffled. "That's why he was so busy?"

Brios nodded. "Yes." He eyed her suspiciously. "Why are you so happy about that?"

She blushed and gave her best to wipe the huge smile from her face. "I'm - I'm not. I just - never mind."

She _was_ happy. She was over the moon, actually. There was no woman - Loki had been working. Maybe that was the reason for his strange mood swings, too; maybe the pressure had been too much for him. Come to think about it -

"Um - do you know when this ceremony is going to be?"

Brios smiled. "It's today. I was about to go there, actually, and watch it."

Again, Layla beamed. Loki had been worried about this selection thing and that's why he had been in such a bad mood yesterday. It really didn't have anything to do with her. And he had obviously realized how unfair it had been to take his stress out on her, too, hence her lovely breakfast this morning.

"Thank you, Brios", Layla smiled happily, "And I didn't want to detain you from going there. May I go and see Alamea?"

Brios nodded. "Sure."

He left soon after, and Layla went straight to Alamea's box, humming one of her favourite songs to herself. Despite the horrible night she'd had, her heart felt lighter now than it had in weeks.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Layla spent the whole afternoon at the stables. She combed Alamea and even rode her for a while. She didn't dare to leave the palace grounds, she doubted that Loki would approve of that, but both she and Alamea enjoyed the ride, anyways.

It had been a wonderful, relaxing afternoon, but when Layla decided to return to the palace in the early evening, she felt uneasy. It had relieved her to hear that Loki had been busy with training instead of dating a woman, and she had even felt a thrill of anticipation at the prospect of having more time with Loki now - especially because she expected him to be more relaxed as soon as this selection thing would be over. But then, as the memory of last night had crept into her consciousness over and over again, she had suddenly realized that the selection could possibly be unsuccessful, too - and she didn't have to wonder who Loki would use to take his anger out on in this case.

If last night had been the result of Loki's fear of failure - what would happen if he had actually failed today?

When Layla entered the palace, she was greeted with ear-deafening noise. There was obviously something very loud going on somewhere.

As she entered the kitchen to look for one of her friends, she frowned at the sight. There was even more hustle and bustle going on than usual, there were more maids and servants hurrying through the kitchen and they all looked stressed out while they were preparing or carrying trays of food.

"Layla, what are you doing here? Did Prince Loki send you to help us?"

Layla turned around to look at Ophelia. "What? No, I was just looking for Anjali or Shiari - what - what's going on here?"

Ophelia sighed. "Last-minute feast. Always a pleasure to prepare a feast for hundreds of hungry warriors in a few hours."

"A feast?" Layla looked at Ophelia hopefully. "Did this selection thing go well?"

The head housemaid laughed. "The Einherjar ceremony? Why do you ask? A little mortal maid like you should really not puzzle her head about Asgard's military units!" She winked at Layla, and Layla blushed.

"Well, um - the prince has been very - tense last night and I was worried -"

Ophelia suddenly gave her a compassionate look. "Of course. I see. You don't have to worry, my dear, the ceremony went very well. As far as I've heard, Prince Loki is in an exceptionally good mood."

Layla let out a deep sigh. "Really? Oh god, that's - thank you for letting me know."

"You're welcome. But if you don't want to be working as a serving maid at the feast tonight, you should really leave the kitchen now. I'll just pretend you've never been here."

Layla grinned at the elder woman and left the kitchen quickly to walk into Loki's chambers. Prince Loki in an exceptionally good mood - that could only mean that there was a splendid evening with him awaiting her.

For a moment, Layla felt a twinge of conscience when she realized that she was actually looking forward to an evening she would spend with the very same man that had raped her just a few hours ago.

 _A therapist would definitely have fun with me_ , she thought and sighed at the thought. _A therapist might actually be the only thing that could still save my sanity, too._

But there are no therapists on Asgard, and it didn't matter what noninvolved people from Earth might think about her inappropriate feelings - she would do anything she could to survive Loki as long as possible.

And if Loki truly was in such a good mood today - _well_ , Layla thought with a smile, _I guess I'll be having a lot more fun with him tonight than I'd have with a therapist, anyways._

 

 


	25. The Most Beautiful Flower

Layla felt a little insecure. She wasn't sure if Loki would approve of her efforts. Maybe he'd find her attempt of preparing his chambers for what she hoped to be a nice evening ridiculous and inappropriate?

She had sneaked into the kitchen again to steal a tray with some of the prince's favourite snacks and a bottle of the sweet wine he liked so much and had put both on the table at the window. Then she had gone into the palace garden to collect a little bouquet of flowers that she placed on the table, too, and last but not least she had decided to even use the candles she had found in the cupboard of the dining room and spread them all over the room, bathing it in warm light.

All in all Loki's bedchamber looked like the perfect setting for a romantic evening of a loving couple. And maybe, Layla thought, if the setting was right, the tiny spark of affection Loki seemed to have for her could grow and become more.

She sighed. There were two possibilities now: Loki could be pleasantly surprised of the way Layla had prepared his chamber for the evening - or he could be annoyed by her self-initiated arrangements and find it inappropriate of her to decorate his chambers in such an obviously romantic way.

She let her gaze wander through the dimly lit room again and bit her lower lip. Loki was unpredictable in everything he did and there was no way she could possibly know what he'd think of this. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she should remove everything again.

Just as she had stood up to get rid off the candles again, it suddenly knocked on the door. Layla froze.

"Y-yes?" she stuttered and let out a long sigh when she heard Anjali's voice.

"It's me, can I come in?"

"Of course", Layla replied, and smiled at the girl when she opened the door.

"Hey Layla - oh, wow! That's really not what I expected from the prince's chamber - does it always look like this in here?"

Layla blushed. "No, not really, I just - I hoped to get the prince in a good mood today."

Anjali smirked. "Well, it looks amazing - if you ever want to get _me_ in a good mood, feel free to come to my bedroom, too."

Layla laughed. "I'll keep it in mind."

"But hey", Anjali suddenly said, "I doubt that it'll be necessary to put him in a good mood. There are quite enough people at the feast tonight to take care of that."

Layla frowned. "What do you mean?"

Anjali shrugged as she sat down on one of the chairs. "I heard King Thor tell a guard to go and bring as many whores from the brothel as he can as a reward for Prince Loki's training efforts."

Layla felt a terrible pang in her heart and she suddenly had a strange metallic taste in her mouth. It took her a few seconds to realize that it was blood that she tasted - she had bitten into her lip too forcefully.

"I saw them at the feast before I came here", Anjali continued, still looking around in the prince's chamber and not realizing Layla's reactions to her words, "Gods, they are stunning, I've never seen such beauties before. And their dresses! They could as well just come here naked, I guess. Hey, what's wrong?" She finally looked at her friend and frowned at the shocked expression on her face. "Aren't you happy about that? A free night for you, huh?"

"Yeah, sure", Layla managed to say and forced a smile on her lips, "A free night. Great."

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki was sitting next to his brother at the royal table and gave his best not to look too exasperated.

He appreciated Thor's will to honour his efforts, he really did - but he wished he would have thought of another way to express his approval. He had never been very fond of the pleasure maids in the brothel. They were exquisite, beautiful and very skilled in what they were doing; but Loki was a possessive man when it came to his carnal needs and he didn't enjoy taking a woman he'd have to share with others. That's why he usually had his personal pleasure slave. He also preferred a challenge when he took a woman, and there wasn't much of a challenge in paying these maids for what he knew they enjoyed to the fullest.

Yet here he was now, sitting next to Thor, trying to take a gulp of his wine while two bedmaids were fondling his chest and a third one was giving him a sensual neck massage.

He emptied his glass and closed his eyes for a second. The day had been exceedingly successful. Almost every one of his warriors had been accepted as Einherjar; it was the highest success rate in Asgard's history of selection ceremonies, and even Thor had to acknowledge Loki's accomplishments. Thor had decided to host a feast to honour Loki and his warriors, and Loki had certainly enjoyed the evening and the appreciation he had received. But now he was starting to feel tired, and the arrival of eight pleasure maids from the most exclusive asgardian brothel who Thor announced to be "another well-earned reward for his little brother" made him sigh internally.

The masseuse now started to nibble at his earlobe, and Loki growled reluctantly as he felt his cock stir a little. Preferences or not, he was a man, after all. One of the women that had been caressing his chest noticed the bulge in his leather pants immediately and stroked over it with a smug smirk on her red lips. Loki grabbed her wrist and was just about to tell her to stop when Thor started to speak.

"Ah little brother, it's about time! I was almost concerned you weren't interested in asgardian women anymore!"

Loki shook his head with a smirk. "Don't be ridiculous, Thor. Who could ever deny an asgardian beauty?"

He. He could. He found it a little disturbing himself, but all that he was longing for right now was to bury his head in Layla's soft hair and hear her moan and sigh beneath him. He had also felt slightly uneasy the whole day considering last night's incident and wished to assure himself that the breakfast he'd prepared for Layla this morning had pleased her. He would certainly not apologize to her - even if he liked her, he was still a prince and she a slave, and to make breakfast for her had already been more than he'd ever done for another slave (or woman, if he thought about it) - all that he wanted was to make sure that she was alright.

"I have to admit that I'm quite exhausted, though -", he said eventually.

Thor interrupted him. "Don't tell me you're going to leave now! Come on, brother -"

"I doubt that mother would approve of another public display of our pleasure, anyways", Loki said with an apologetic smile, but Thor just smirked.

"Don't worry, brother, I've taken care of that! The chamber right down this hallway is arranged for you and -" He winked, "- your reward! Feel free to take them there!"

Loki groaned internally. For once in his life Thor was acting deliberate and attentive and it came at the most inconvenient moment. That was something he had not seen coming.

"Thank you, brother", he smirked, rising from his chair and putting his arms around the waists of the two stunning beauties that have been caressing his body the whole time, "Well, my dearest, what do you say, shall we retire to a place with more privacy?"

The two women in his arms and the one that was still standing behind him agreed with a giggle, and Loki winked at Thor and strutted through the hall, the other five bedmaids following him eagerly, and the warriors in the hall burst into applause and cheering as Prince Loki walked down the aisle, accompanied by eight beaming women.

 

 

* * *

 

 

As he watched his clone enter the chamber his brother had prepared for him and the women, the real Loki shook his head with a sigh. Eight exquisite women, handed to him on a silver platter, and he chose to send an illusion to them instead of actually enjoying their attention. And what for? For spending his time with a mortal slave girl instead. Maybe his mother had been right, after all, maybe the little mortal minx _had_ changed him.

He walked down the hallway, careful not to be seen by anybody, and smiled when he reached his chambers. Even if this was wrong - it felt right. And who was he to fulfil other peoples' expectations? He was the god of mischief, after all. He would do whatever he wanted to do, and if he wanted to see his little mortal instead of a handful of asgardian women, he'd do just that.

When he opened the door to his chambers, however, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

The room was bathed in candlelight and his mortal was lying on her stomach in his bed, propped up on her elbows and with a glass of wine in her hands. When she saw him, she jumped to her feet, spilling a bit of wine on the floor and the bed, and beamed at him.

"Loookiiii!" she exclaimed happily and stumbled towards him, tripping over her feet.

Loki rushed to her side and took the glass of wine to place it on a shelf before he put his hands on her waist and eyed her carefully. "Are you _drunk?_ "

Layla burst into laughter in response. "Holy shit, I'm so drunk, I've never been - drunkener! This wine is really the shit, no surprise you like it so much!"

The prince stared at her in disbelief. "You are not allowed to drink without my permission", he said eventually, even though her disobedience was the last thing that bothered him right now.

Again, Layla laughed. "I know! I know, I'm not allowed to do _anything_ without your permission." She frowned and added thoughtfully, "I'm just glad I'm allowed to _poop_ without your permission, because that would be one hell of an embarrassing thing to ask you for permission to!"

Loki's eyebrows rose even higher.

Layla giggled. "Oh, these eyebrows. A classic Loki. Anyways, I didn't _mean_ to drink without your permission, seriously. I meant to drink _with_ your permission and _with you, too_ \- that's why I got this sweet wine you like so much!" She pouted. "But I guess you had better things to do - or better women to do, actually - so I decided to give me permission to drink myself."

All of a sudden she had tears in her eyes, and Loki didn't know what confused him more - her laughter, her tears, her words or her general condition. He decided to concentrate on her current condition for now.

"Sit down, Layla", he ordered, but Layla shook her head.

"I wanna dance with you!"

Loki frowned. "I will certainly not dance with you. You will sit down now."

"Aye, sir!" Layla replied and sat down on the bed.

Loki sat down next to her and rubbed her back in little circles. He let his gaze wander through the room. It wasn't just the candles, he realized, there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table as well as a tray with lots of delicious food and a half-empty bottle of what was indeed his favourite wine.

"Little one, what is all this?" he asked softly and gestured at the room.

Layla looked down, clearly ashamed. "I - I wanted to celebrate with you. Have a nice evening. I thought it was a good idea - I'm sorry. It was stupid."

For a moment, Loki just looked at her. Even after what had happened last night she had prepared his chambers hoping to spend a nice evening with him. What a precious girl this mortal was. The thought of her decorating his room with candles and flowers somehow sent a weird sensation through his chest.

"It was not stupid. It was very thoughtful", he assured her, and smiled when she looked up at him with wet eyes and disbelief written over her pretty face.

"You like it?"

"I do", Loki confirmed. "Thank you", he added after a second.

Layla gave him a heartbreaking smile. "Thank you for the breakfast", she replied softly, "That was - that was wonderful."

Loki nodded. And then he frowned, when Layla suddenly burst into tears. By the norns, this girl was complicated when she was drunk.

"Layla, why are you crying now?"

"It's n-nothing", she sobbed out, and Loki shook his head.

"If this is because of - because of what happened last night -" he started, and hesitated when he realized that he didn't even know what he wanted to say.

"No", Layla cried, "It's not. I just - I'm - I'm sorry that I'm not good enough for you -"

Loki narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? You are perfect, little one, you are far more than I deserve -" He stopped and was relieved when he noticed that Layla hadn't even listened to him. She was crying harder now and stuttering nonsense without forming any coherent words. He rolled his eyes and scooped her up to carry her into the bathroom. "You will take a cold bath now", he ordered, "I prefer you sober."

Layla didn't react, but she didn't fight him, either. She let him carry her into the bathroom, sat down on the bathtub rim and even drank the glass of water that he held to her lips while he was waiting for the bath to be ready for her. When she had emptied the glass, Loki held the tray with food in his hands and Layla let him feed her a few pieces of bread, meat and cheese before he put down the tray and started to undress her and then himself. Layla still didn't react to anything; she just gazed into nothingness and let him do whatever he wanted to do. When Loki picked her up and sat down in the ice cold water, however, she screamed out loud.

"Holy fuck, are you crazy? What - l-let go of me! This is fucking cold, Loki!"

Loki smirked at her weak attempts to get out of the bathtub and out of his embrace. "I know. But you feel better, do you not?"

"I feel fucking cold!" Layla yelled, and Loki chuckled.

He waved his hand to make the water a bit warmer. The cold has never bothered him, but Layla was already starting to tremble.

"O-okay, I'm s-sober now, can we - can we get out, pl-please?" she said after a minute.

"If you wish."

Loki stepped out of the bathtub and helped Layla out, too. She was still shaking, but she had to admit that the cold water had cleared her mind. When Loki handed her a big towel, she wrapped it around her freezing body, avoiding his gaze at all costs.

"Better?" he asked again, and Layla nodded reluctantly.

"Better", she murmured.

"Then let us go to bed now to get you warm", he suggested.

Layla bit her lip, but did as he said. When Loki lay down behind her and pulled her flush against his body, Layla couldn't help but let herself slump into his embrace. He rubbed her arms, sending pleasant sparks of warmth through Layla's cold body, and she hummed gratefully.

"What was that nonsense you were talking about of you not being good enough for me?" Loki asked her eventually.

Layla stiffened. "Never mind", she mumbled.

Loki brushed his lips against her bare shoulder. "You are perfect, little one", he whispered and planted soft kisses on her neck and shoulders.

"If I was so perfect you wouldn't feel the need to fuck other women", Layla muttered before she could stop herself.

When Loki's movements halted, she closed her eyes. _God damn it, Layla, why don't you shut your mouth for once in your life?_

"Other women?" Loki repeated, confused.

"Forget it", Layla mumbled, "You can do whatever you want."

"I can", Loki confirmed, "But I am still curious what other women you believe I am - fucking, as you so eloquently put it?"

Layla rolled her eyes. "The - um - pleasure maids from the feast tonight."

Loki smirked. "Ah. I see." He planted another kiss on her shoulder, just to tease her. "Jealous, are we?"

She huffed. "I just don't like the thought of being one of the many whores you fuck", she said coldly.

"Careful, little mortal", Loki said warningly, "I am quite certain that you do not wish to anger me further. I have already been very lenient with you tonight."

"I'm sorry", Layla muttered sheepishly.

Loki hesitated. "Do not think that I am accountable to you in any way", he said eventually, "But for your information - I did not sleep with any of those women tonight."

Layla turned around so quickly that even Loki was surprised by her sudden movement. She faced him now, a hopeful expression on her face.

"You didn't?" she said, and Loki shook his head.

"There is no reason for me to pluck random plants when the most beautiful flower is waiting for me in my chambers", he purred.

Layla blushed. "I thought I was the drunken one", she muttered.

Loki laughed out. "You are certainly the - what did you call it? - _drunkener one_ , but I did have a few glasses of wine myself."

She smiled at him. "Congratulations on your - uh - selection thing, by the way."

Again, Loki laughed. "Thank you, sweet girl. How do you even know about that?"

"I have my ways."

"Have you, now?" Loki smirked. "What a clever little thing you are."

Layla looked into Loki's eyes and opened her mouth, but then closed it again. Ophelia had been right, he  _really_ was in an exceptionally good mood, but while it had made her more comfortable and almost relaxed around him in the last few minutes, it also still irritated her deeply. His behaviour was as contradicting and confusing as always; it was hard to believe that the man that shared the bed with her tonight was the same man that had shared the bed with her yesterday. She wondered if he had meant what he had said last night. Had he just tried to soothe her after being so brutal? Had he regretted his roughness and tried to make up for it by telling her sweet lies? Or did he mean it, did he genuinely care for her?

"What is it?" Loki asked, and Layla swallowed.

She just needed to know.

"Did you mean what you said last night?" she asked quietly, her voice trembling, and she couldn't look into his eyes anymore, she had to lower her gaze and stared at his chest instead. Her heart was hammering against her ribcage. She suddenly felt as if her whole existence depended on his answer to this one, little question.

"What do you mean?"

Layla took a breath. "That - that you care about me. Did you mean it?", she whispered, her voice breaking, still avoiding his gaze.

Loki looked at her for a long moment. He saw her pale face, her trembling body and the way the girl bit into her lip and avoided his gaze at all costs; he heard the shakiness of her voice and the loud, fast beating of her fragile little heart, and he could smell the distinctive scent of genuine fear. Even when she had yielded to him in the past, there had always been this unquenchable spark of defiance in her attitude that had intrigued him so much. But at this very moment, all that he could see was a little girl that was lost and alone and desperate for someone to care about her.

"I did", he said quietly and watched as her breath hitched, her cheeks reddened and her heartbeat became even faster.

Maybe it was the effect of the wine he'd had this evening that made Loki do what he did next, maybe it was his joy at the success of his warriors or maybe it was the look of sorrow in the big, tear-filled eyes of his slave girl; he wasn't sure, but he decided that he didn't care, either, and so he reached out for her and lifted her chin with his hand, stroking over her cheek with his thumb, and smiled at her when she rose her gaze reluctantly to meet his eyes.

"If I did not care about you, my sweet little slave girl, I would not bother to ask you how you feel when I have been too rough with you. If I did not care about you, then I would not care if my brother had his way with you, I would not care about your presence in my bed and I would not care about your wellbeing when you have been audacious and stupid enough to get drunk during my absence. And if I did not care about you, I would certainly not go into the garden in the morning to pluck your favourite flower, wander through the kitchen to pick up your favourite food and then prepare breakfast for you as an attempt to apologize for hurting you."

Layla's eyes widened and her lips parted in utter surprise at this sudden and completely unexpected confession.

But Loki didn't give her enough time to say anything. He leaned over and brushed his lips softly against hers, his hand still cupping her face while his other one moved to run through her hair, and Layla closed her eyes in delight as her mouth welcomed his tongue home.

 

 


	26. Close Your Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot, what plot? I'm sorry, this chapter is nothing but smut, really. But meaningful smut, if that makes any sense. I hope you like it.

The incredibly talented and simply amazing [TheLeftHand](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLeftHand/pseuds/TheLeftHand) has drawn this beautiful piece of art of Loki and Layla!  
I am completely overwhelmed with excitement, admiration and gratitude. If you haven't read her stories yet, I can only recommend them highly. Her writing has been a real inspiration for me to start writing my own story.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki tasted divine. Even now, where Layla could still taste remnants of the food and the wine he'd had at the feast, his tongue was still the most delicious thing Layla had ever tasted. She sighed softly as his tongue swirled around hers, teasing it, playing with it, and Layla didn't hesitate to return the favour.

She had been a virgin when she'd arrived here, yes, but she hadn't been unkissed. There had been a few different guys that she had dated, kissed, even made out with a little, but there had never been anyone with whom she'd have wanted to go further. She used to think that she had met quite some good kissers, too, but at this moment she realized how very, very wrong she had been. If the kisses she had received on Earth had been good, then whatever Loki was doing right now couldn't even be described with words. His warm tongue sent shivers down her entire body, pooling in her center in a strange bubble of need, and it left her breathless, yet still longing for more.

Layla let her hands wander through his incredibly soft hair and he hummed approvingly, sending pleasant vibrations through her mouth. The sound of his dark, low voice pushed a twinge of arousal into her chest. He suckled on her lower lip now, occasionally nibbling on it, too, and Layla let out an unvoluntary moan.

 _Dean_ , she suddenly thought, _Dean was a great kisser - but if Dean was great, than Loki is - is - not from this world._  She couldn't help but giggle into Loki's mouth at the thought.

Loki let go of his mortal and looked at her. He was still so close that his lips brushed against Layla's as he said, "What is amusing you?"

She smiled and gave him a quick, chaste kiss. "Nothing. I just thought that - that you're a really good kisser."

"Oh, am I?" Loki said with a smug smirk and ran his fingers through her hair, "Do you know what else I am really good at?"

He didn't give Layla a chance to answer. With one quick movement he positioned himself between her legs and pushed them apart slowly and gently, caressing the skin of her thighs and her waist, and Layla, who had stiffened when he'd started to part her legs, felt herself relax a bit at his gentle touch. Loki kissed the insides of her thighs before he let his soft lips wander over her hips until they reached her belly, where they kissed and licked the sensitive skin beneath her bellybutton, making her shiver in response - whether it was fear or arousal that caused them, she couldn't say.

"Relax, darling", Loki purred, "You will feel nothing but pleasure tonight, I promise."

It was absurd, Layla thought absent-mindedly, but she believed him. She let out a deep breath and finally let go of the tension inside of her body, which Loki replied to with an appreciating humming noise while his warm, soft tongue wandered from her bellybutton further downwards. When he was only a few inches away from her slit, Layla moaned and lifted her hips, and Loki chuckled before he kissed the insides of her thighs again instead of finally placing his lips on her neglected womanhood.

Layla was completely lost in her desire now, desperate for Loki to finally touch her where she needed it, and without thinking twice, she reached down and grabbed his hair, pulling his head up so his lips touched her center. Loki looked up at her in astonishment and suddenly laughed out.

"You have become quite demanding, sweet mortal."

"I learned from the best", Layla replied with a smirk, briefly wondering where her sudden courage came from before she remembered that she had drunken half a bottle of asgardian wine this evening.

Loki didn't seem to mind. In fact, he grinned and winked at her - which might very well be the sexiest thing Layla had ever seen, she thought in amazement - and then lowered his head to plant a kiss right on the little nub that had already been screaming for attention. Layla moaned loudly. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against her thighs again, and Layla growled impatiently, making him chuckle again.

Enough teasing, he decided, and licked over her dripping wet cunt. Again, Layla moaned at the touch, and Loki let his tongue circle her throbbing clit with just the right amount of pressure to make Layla shout his name in pleasure. He slid a finger inside of Layla's hot core, moaning at the wet warmth that welcomed him in, and slowly pushed in and out of her while he was still teasing Layla's clit with his tongue.

She was a whimpering mess in only a few minutes.

Loki was close to starting to whimper, too, actually. His rock hard length was throbbing and twitching impatiently, desperate to be buried inside the wet, hot tunnel that was clenching his fingers, but he was determined to take care of Layla's pleasure first. He pressed a kiss against her entrance before he finally took the little, swollen nub into his mouth, suckling on it while he pushed two fingers inside of her again, curling them against her tight inner walls.

Layla screamed out louder than ever before as she reached her climax; her whole body trembling with the waves of ecstasy, and her hands pushed Loki's head flush against her body again while her tunnel spasmed around his fingers.

"Oh my god", she moaned as she slowly came down from her high, and Loki smirked.

"Indeed."

He crawled over her and pressed his mouth against Layla's, enjoying her quick breathing and the soft sigh that she made at the surprising taste of her own juices that were still lingering on his tongue. When his hard cock brushed against Layla's thigh, he growled into her mouth and finally reached down with his free hand to slide it up and down around his length. After a few seconds, Layla noticed his movements and let go of his lips.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she asked, irritated.

Loki gave her a smirk. "Preparing myself for coming on your delicious little body."

Layla frowned. "Won't you - um - I mean, don't you want to -"

Loki chuckled at her shy blush, but shook his head. "I told you that you would feel only pleasure tonight."

"But -" Layla started, and her cheeks turned crimson. "What if I want it?" she asked sheepishly, and Loki furrowed his brows.

"Do you?"

The girl bit her lip. "Can you - can you be gentle tonight? Just once?"

He eyed her thoughtfully, as if considering something of supreme importance, before he grabbed her hips and moved with her, so quickly that Layla needed a second to understand what had happened. Loki was lying beneath her now, and Layla was straddling his chest.

"Wh-what -" she stuttered, confused, and Loki smiled.

"Now you can decide how gentle you want it to be."

Her eyes widened. "You mean - I -?"

Loki growled. Her innocent question made his cock twitch in anticipation, and the fact that she was sitting on his chest, her wet, hot cunt pressed against the muscles of his upper body, didn't help. He nodded.

"But I - I don't know - how -" She blushed and avoided his gaze, embarrassed at her own inexperience.

Loki grabbed her hips again, lifted her up as if she weighed nothing and pushed her down on her knees at both sides of his body, positioning her over his cock. She looked up at him with wide eyes, and he took her hand and put it around his cock.

"Just take me in now, as quickly or slowly as you like", he said, his voice hoarse.

Layla looked at him suspiciously, then glanced downwards and after a few seconds, she carefully slipped just the head of his throbbing cock inside of her wet core. Loki inhaled sharply, clenched his fists around the bedsheets and closed his eyes for a moment, fighting desperately against the urge to thrust upwards.

The girl moaned softly as she let herself sink down on his cock, confused but excited at the new sensation, and when she looked at Loki to see his dark eyes clouded with desire, she smiled. This was the first time in months that she felt as if she was in control, and she relished the sudden feeling of power and autonomy. Oddly enough, she still wanted to feel Loki inside of her, though, and she enjoyed taking him in at her very own pace. She raised her hips again, letting him slip out, and she smirked at Loki's desperate growl. Then, finally, she moved downwards again to bury his whole length inside of her. Both Loki and Layla moaned at the sensation.

It took Layla a second until she realized that she didn't know what she was supposed to do now. She looked at Loki with wide eyes, waves of panic running through her at the thought of doing something wrong, and when he met her fearful gaze, he reached out and put his hands on her hips to caress them.

"Shh, do not panic", he soothed her, "Close your eyes, and just do what feels good for you. Your body knows what you need, little one."

Layla frowned, unsure if he was just trying to mock her - maybe this was a trap and he was just waiting for her to fail so he could punish her? Eventually, she decided to trust him. She closed her eyes and moved a bit, up and down, back and forth, then in a circular manner, and it was just a matter of seconds until she found her own rhythm that pushed Loki's hard member into just the right spots inside of her. When she opened her eyes after a while to look into Loki's face, his eyes dark with lust, his lips parted, and realized that he was panting and moaning beneath her - because of what _she did_ to him - she quickened her pace, longing for her own release just as much as she wished to make Loki come with her movements.

Loki's hands wandered over his little slave's soft body and he cupped her breasts, caressing her nipples with his thumbs, and Layla moaned at his touch. She rocked herself now and Loki growled, feeling his climax near. Layla felt his cock twitch inside of her; she looked at him expectantly, and when he came undone beneath her, spilling his hot seed inside of her wonderfully tight channel, he moaned her name in ecstasy.

The feeling of Loki's throbbing cock and the sensation of him spurting his load into her had almost been enough to make Layla come, too, but it was Loki's deep voice that moaned out her name that pushed her over the edge, and she came with a loud, delightful moan, riding out every little second of their orgasms.

When she stilled her movements, she let out a deeply contented sigh, collapsed on Loki's chest and buried her head in the crook of his neck. Loki wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush against his body, and nuzzled his nose into her dark hair, planting soft kisses on her neck while she panted and cried into his neck. But for the first time in what felt like an eternity she didn't cry out of desperation, sadness or pain, but out of pure bliss and relief.

The prince stroked her head tenderly. "Shh, little one, everything is fine. Do not cry."

Layla raised her head and met Loki's gaze. "Was it - was that - okay? I'm sorry if I did it wrong, I -"

Loki touched the back of her head to push her lips on his and gave her a long and deep kiss. When he let go of her, he smirked.

"It was amazing, sweet one. Though I believe that, traditionally, the man is the one who asks whether he could satisfy his partner's needs or not."

Layla laughed out, relief written over her face. She lifted her hips and let his cock slide out of her, sighing at the sudden feeling of emptiness it left behind, then lay on her side and snuggled into Loki's chest, inhaling his male scent as she looked up at him. His eyes were closed, his arm was wrapped around her body and his other hand stroked her head absent-mindedly.

She planted a soft kiss on his neck. "I think now I can forgive you for last night", she whispered, not sure if he could hear her, and for a split second she thought that she had seen the corner of his lips twitch slightly, as if he fought to suppress a smile.

 

* * *

 

  
The first thing that Layla noticed when she woke up the next morning was her throbbing headache. She groaned as she pulled the blanket over her face.

"I could heal your headache, it would not take more than a second of my time", she heard Loki's voice, and she peeped out from beneath the blanket and looked at the desk. He was already sitting there, fully dressed, surrounded by books and maps and currently busy with writing something down.

"Um, that would be great", Layla mumbled.

"I said I _could_ ", Loki replied without looking up, "But I believe that you deserve some kind of punishment for your inappropriate behaviour of last night."

Layla frowned.

Loki raised an eyebrow as he finally looked at her. "You have been drinking alcohol during my absence. You have questioned my sincerity. You have used rather offensive language in my presence. Those are ways of behaving I do not approve of witnessing from my slaves."

Biting her lip, Layla nodded. "I'm sorry."

The cold strictness in his voice made her nervous. Maybe it had been stupid to believe that the last night had changed anything. Layla had been lying awake in the sleeping god's arms for a while before she had finally fallen asleep, too, and she had been wondering if his gentleness would persist. It didn't seem like that.

"I'm sorry - ?" he said warningly.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness", she quickly corrected herself, and was endlessly grateful when she saw Loki smile.

"Very well. In the future, impudences like these will of course entail consequences, but for today, I believe your physical condition is punishment enough."

Layla could only agree. The bright light hurt her eyes and she felt slightly nauseous. She closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again to see Loki standing right in front of her, she recoiled. _Damn his supernatural speed._

"There is one more thing I demand of you, though", he purred as he sat down on the bed.

Layla instinctively pulled the blanket around her body, realizing at the same second how ridiculous her behaviour was considering that by now, Loki undoubtedly knew her body better than she did herself, and Loki smirked at her unreasonable attempt to keep her innocence. He cupped her face and let his hands wander down her throat, her neck, her breasts - pulling the blanket down inch by inch. Layla shivered under his touch.

"I want you to answer a question", Loki said with a smug smile while he cupped her breasts, pinching both nipples just hard enough to make them stiffen.

"Okay?" Layla said, irritated.

Loki smirked. His thumbs circled around her nipples. "What was the reason for you to drink so much wine last night? And I recommend honesty, little one."

Layla felt her cheeks heat up. She hasn't been drunk enough for her to forget the things she had said to him - which was a pity, really - so he obviously knew damn well why she had started drinking last night.

"I was just - in a bad mood", she murmured, avoiding his gaze.

"And why was that?", Loki purred, both of his hands wandering down her waist now while his face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her skin.

Layla was too distracted by his touch to answer, and Loki cupped her breasts again and pinched her nipples harder, making her gasp.

"You know why", she muttered.

Loki brushed his lips against a spot beneath Layla's ear. "Yes, I do know why. But I want you to say it."

Layla cringed. She didn't want to say it out loud. She couldn't. It was embarrassing enough that she felt the way she did, and it was mortifying that she'd been stupid enough to let him know about her feelings towards him, but she would _not_ say it oud loud.

When Loki's tongue trailed town her throat, Layla closed her eyes and put her arms around his neck without thinking about it. He suckled on her skin and she knew that he would leave a bruise behind, but she didn't care - it felt divine, and she suddenly remembered how he'd done the same to her clit last night - a moan escaped her mouth as Loki's hands returned to her breasts.

"Well?"

"I - I was disappointed that you didn't come to your chambers in the evening", Layla said - that wasn't a lie, technically.

"Ah", Loki said, "Is that really all there is?"

His hands pushed against her, gently, but firm enough to make her lie back down while he moved over her, his body pushing her into the mattress, his hard erection behind his leather pants pressing against Layla's mound while he looked deep into her eyes.

"I - I thought you were with these women", Layla muttered, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She didn't look at him.

Loki lowered his head and suckled on one of her nipples, and Layla bit her lip, trying not to moan again. She suddenly realized that his clothes were gone. And her headache, too.

"And that bothered you?" Loki crooned.

When she didn't answer, he grabbed her wrists with one hand and held them down above her head. His grip was firm, but not painful, and Layla noted with surprise that she wasn't scared - her body had, in fact, decided to react completely different to his display of dominance. She also realized that she was lifting her hips, trying to push against his rock hard erection.

"I have asked you a question, my sweet slave", Loki said with a low, dark voice, brushing his lips against her throat again as he spoke.

"What - what was the question again?" she gasped, and Loki chuckled, sending shivers over her skin.

"So inattentive, little one. Are you so greedy to feel me inside of you again?"

"Y-yes", Layla moaned reluctantly, and Loki grinded his length against her womanhood.

"I will not allow you the honour of feeling my cock inside of you until you have answered my question, my wanton little slave girl. Did it bother you to think of me with another woman?"

Layla tried to free her hands, she wanted, _needed_ to touch him, to pull him closer against her, but his grip was merciless and she let out a disappointed growl.

"I - I didn't like the thought", she said eventually.

Loki hummed. "Very interesting. You would not like if I fucked another woman, then? If I buried myself inside of another maid's cunt? If I made another girl moan and scream beneath me while I filled her with my seed?"

Layla bit down on her tongue to distract herself. She didn't want to show Loki how much the mere thought of this scenario bothered her.

"No", she said shortly.

"My slave girl wants me all to herself, yes?" Loki gloated, and Layla nodded silently, her lips pressed together in embarrassment.

He suckled on her throat again, caressing her breasts with his free hand, and Layla whimpered pleadingly.

"You did not tell me what exactly it was that you have been feeling", Loki stated, and Layla rolled her eyes.

_If he needs to hear it, fine, I hope he chokes on his ego._

"I was jealous", she hissed through gritted teeth, and Loki looked into her face, smirking smugly, his eyebrows raised in expectation. Layla closed her eyes. She had a feeling that she knew exactly what he wanted her to say. "I want you all to myself", she muttered feebly.

Loki felt his hard cock twitch impatiently at her confession.

"Then you shall have me", he purred and reached down to position his cock at her entrance. When the tip slid in without any effort, he chuckled. "You are already dripping wet for me, you naughty little thing."

Layla wanted to say something, to disagree, to defend herself, but in this very moment Loki plunged into her throbbing cunt, and she moaned out loudly when the gaping emptiness between her legs was finally filled with pure bliss. He leaned down to kiss her deeply and passionately, and he growled when Layla returned the kiss with undeniable desire.

She wrapped her legs around Loki's firm body and moaned as he started to fuck her hard and fast. It didn't take long until she felt her climax near. Loki could feel her tunnel twitch around his cock, and he halted his movements to put one of his hands around her throat while the other one was still holding her wrists pinned down. It was only a light touch, not more than a promise of what he could do to her if his hand would actually clutch her throat, but Layla's eyes widened in fearful anticipation.

"Shh, little one", he said with a deep, sinful voice, "I will not hurt you. But if you come without my permission, I will have to punish you for your disobedience."

Layla's breath hitched. "P-permission?"

"You will not come until I allow you to", Loki clarified.

The girl's chest had tightened when his hand had touched her throat, but when she realized that he wasn't going to squeeze it, she let out a breath and relaxed a bit. It was oddly exciting to be reminded of his strength without actually being hurt, she noticed in surprise, but she wasn't sure if she could trust him.

Loki could read her like an open book. He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently before he looked deep into her eyes. "I promise that I will only punish you if you misbehave."

"O-okay", Layla whispered.

He was thrusting inside of her at an almost painfully slow pace now. "Will you be a good girl, then?"

Again, Layla felt a surprising wave of arousal at his words. "Y-yes, Your Highness."

Loki smirked and brushed his lips against hers. "Yes, what?"

"Yes, I will be a good girl!" Layla moaned, lifting her hips to meet his movements.

"Very good, pet. You do not have the permission to come yet", he reminded her as Layla's moans became louder, and she whimpered, trying to pull away from him. Loki smirked. "If you cannot hold it back anymore, you may beg me for my permission. Maybe your pleading can melt my cold heart enough to have mercy with you."

Layla pressed her lips together. Beg him for permission? Who did he think he was? Who did he think _she_ was? She wouldn't beg him, never.

When Loki gave her a few deep and hard thrusts, though, Layla whimpered as she felt her orgasm near.

"I can't hold it back if you keep doing that", she cried out, and Loki chuckled, keeping his pace.

Layla tried to squeeze her legs together to keep herself from coming, but it only made it harder for her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and gasped, "Please, Your Highness, may I come?"

Loki smirked. That was far from good enough. "No, pet. Not yet."

She bit on her lip to distract herself from the pleasure inside of her center that was growing and growing, and she squirmed beneath Loki in a desperate try to escape his thrusts, knowing full well that she couldn't hold her orgasm back much longer.

Loki had to bite back a chuckle at the sight of his pet writhing beneath him in pleasurable desperation. He knew how close she was, and he also knew that she had no idea of how she could hold it back. With a growl he buried himself inside of her to the hilt, making her moan out in response.

"Please, please, I beg you, may I come, please?" Layla all but screamed and sobbed out when she saw Loki shaking his head.

"Just a little longer, my darling", he crooned.

"Oh god, please", she cried.

Loki let out a guttural growl. He thrusted deep into her, again and again, relishing her screams and sobs, and when he could feel her tight walls starting to flutter around his cock, he looked into her teary eyes. "Now, pet."

Layla screamed out as a wave of ecstasy and relief washed over her, and Loki joined her, groaning out loudly when he spilled into Layla's body as her tunnel milked his seed out of his hard cock.

"Oh god, thank you, thankyouthankyouthankyou, Your Highness", Layla cried out, and Loki, still fucking her through her climax, growled, "Say my name."

"Loki", Layla sighed, "Loki, thank you -"

Eventually, Loki's movements stilled. He let go of her throat and leaned over to suckle on it instead.

"You have done very well, my little pet", he praised her, and Layla gave him a faint smile.

"Thank you", she repeated hoarsely, not able to say anything else.

She was still trembling. Loki pulled out of her, enjoying the sight of his seed leaking out of her and onto his soft bedsheet, and wrapped his arms around her, stroking her head soothingly. Layla sighed gratefully before she closed her eyes and instantly fell asleep in his arms.

Loki pulled her closer and planted soft kisses on her neck. He was vaguely aware that he had planned to act distanced and cold today to remind her of her place in his life, and that his plan had failed miserably as soon as he had looked into these big, dark eyes, but he chose not to ponder over his inappropriate lack of perseverance now. He would think about it later. Right now, it felt too good to just lie here and listen to his little mortal's breathing.

 

 


	27. A Strange, Painful And Torn Kind Of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the delay, my new semester has started last week and I've been struggling to find time to write. But I'll give my best to keep updating as often as possible :) The chapter is a bit shorter than usual, too, but I'll make up for that in the next one.  
> I'm also struggling to breathe because it's just one more day until Infinity War - let's hope that Marvel doesn't break our hearts. If Loki dies, we will all go Korg and call for a revolution, sisters! (and brothers? Are there any male readers among us?)  
> I hope you like the chapter!

 

"What is this, a hen party? Back to work, ladies!"

Ophelia sounded rather amused when she caught Layla, Shiari and Anjali in the staff room a week later, drinking tea and chatting with each other during their working time. Shiari and Anjali quickly hurried out of the room, but when Layla went to follow them, Ophelia stopped her.

"Stay for a moment, dear. I wanted to talk to you."

Layla turned around. "Is something wrong?"

"Not necessarily", Ophelia said pensively, "But I have noticed that you - look different."

Layla frowned and looked down on herself, but Ophelia smiled. "Not like this. I mean - you look more comfortable, almost happy lately."

Confused, Layla raised her shoulders. "I - I do feel much better, yes. But isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course it is. I am glad that you feel that way, but - my dear, I am concerned about your reasons. I have been told that you seem to have grown quite close to the prince."

Layla avoided the head housemaid's eyes as she felt heat rising to her cheeks. "Well, yes, I mean, I'm his bedslave - of course we're, um, close, physically -"

"Only physically?" Ophelia asked softly, "Is that really all there is?"

The young girl looked at the ground. She didn't know how to answer Ophelia's question, and if she was honest, she didn't even know how to answer this question to herself. Ever since the evening after the Einherjar ceremony, Loki had been kind and caring towards her most of the time; and while he had still been rough and dominant when he'd taken her, he had never actually _hurt_ her again. Layla had to admit that she enjoyed being in bed with him more and more, too - she had even been thinking about taking the initiative a few times, but she had never dared to do so yet.

It wasn't just the way Loki was acting in bed that had changed, though - he had been much nicer lately, he had been smiling more than he'd used to before, he'd kissed and hugged her quite a few times without any ulterior motives at all and he had always insisted on having dinner with her.

Layla had started to realize that she was actually feeling much more for him than she had ever thought possible - it wasn't just mere insecurity or possessiveness that had made her jealous of the other bedmaids a few days before; it had been more than that. She had given her very best to suppress her emotions, but eventually, she had had to admit it to herself - she was falling for him. As absurd as it was - she was actually falling in love with this terrifying, scary god that was holding her as his slave. It was a strange, painful and torn kind of love, but it was still love.

And sometimes she allowed herself to believe, if only for a few moments, that Loki was feeling something for her, too - it was the way he looked at her sometimes, the way he listened to her when she talked about her life on Earth, the random smiles he gave her when she caught him watching her while she was cleaning his chambers or taking a bath.

But, just as it had been before the ceremony, Loki sometimes seemed determined to remind her of who - and what - she actually was. It happened less often than before, but when it happened, it hurt all the more. He called her 'slave girl', bullied her around, and last night he had even sent her to sleep in the spare room again; laughing cruelly when she had asked why. _"Because that is where you belong, slave"_ , he had said without even looking at her, and Layla had left him behind, curling up in the cold, lonely bed next to Loki's bedchamber, unable to suppress the desperate sobs that had been breaking out of her while her heart had been aching with pain and confusion.

This morning, however, she had woken up in Loki's bed again, snuggled into his arms, and when he had caught her gaze, he had given her a long, passionate kiss and then, for the very first time, he had slept with her very slowly and tenderly, without any of his usual dominant ways in bed; he had kissed and caressed her whole body and instead of his dirty talk that Layla had grown used to by now, he had whispered sweet and tender words into her ear while he had been rocking her into a mind-blowing orgasm.

She still wasn't sure what to think of him and his confusing mood swings, but she had somehow developed the habit to simply give more weight to the times he was acting nice and to forget about 'the other times' as soon as they were over. It might be naive, it might be stupid and it certainly was dangerous to lie to herself like this, but she just didn't care about rationality anymore. There was nothing rational about her new life in this new world, and if a bit of self-delusion was the only thing that would keep her sane, she'd happily lose herself inside of it.

"Layla?"

She looked up, startled to see Ophelia watching her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was - I was just thinking. What did you say?"

Ophelia smiled sadly. "Please, my dear, be careful with your emotions when you are around the prince. He is not known to be too pleased with women that grow attached to him."

Layla felt an ice-cold fist clench around her heart. "What do you mean?"

"I have been working here for a very long time, and I have noticed that he usually -" Ophelia hesitated and took Layla's hand, trying to comfort her before she went on, "- he usually got rid of his bedmaids as soon as they were starting to develop feelings for him."

The girl's heart skipped a beat. "You mean - he's killed them as soon as they've begun to like him?"

Ophelia shook her head. "I cannot tell you if he has killed them. He may have - but nobody knows about his former bedslaves' whereabouts. But yes, they have always disappeared when they had started to show their affection towards him."

Layla's throat had become tight. That was the last thing she had expected. If anything, she would have thought that Loki would appreciate his bedslaves to somewhat like him. On the other hand - he truly didn't seem to be the kind of man that appreciated any commitment at all.

"But", she said, her voice strained, "A few days ago, he basically forced me to admit that I liked him - and he is acting so sweet sometimes, so - so nice - why would he do that if he didn't want me to like him in the first place?"

Ophelia gave her a sad smile. "I cannot tell you, child. He is the god of mischief, don't forget that. He likes to manipulate, to play with people's minds, to deceive and distract the ones around him."

Layla swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat didn't go away.

"I am sorry, my dear", the elder maid added ruefully, "I did not wish to unsettle you. I'm just worried, and I don't want anything - to happen to you. Please, just be careful."

"I will be", Layla croaked, "I - thank you, Ophelia."

  
 

* * *

 

  
The rest of the day felt to Layla as if it was wreathed in mist. She returned to Loki's chambers, cleaned everything in there for a second time, worried that even the tiniest mistake might lead to her sudden death now, put on one of the dresses she knew Loki preferred and sat down on her bed in the spare room, waiting for him to return. When she finally heard him open the door, she jumped to her feet to greet him with a curtsy.

"Good evening, Your Highness."

Loki eyed her with amusement. "I have not seen this adorable curtsy of yours for quite a while. I must say, I have missed it."

"I apologize, Your Highness", Layla said, "I may have been - too careless lately, but I promise to improve myself."

The god let his gaze wander over her. Something seemed to be wrong; the girl was a bit too subservient today, and he wondered what might have made her believe that she had been careless lately, but he didn't feel like delving into that question right now. It had been a long day and he had different matters to discuss with her.

As he walked over into the dining room, he noticed that she didn't follow him, and he turned around with a frown. "Are you not coming to have dinner with me?"

"If you so wish, Your Highness", Layla replied nervously.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "I do so wish, little one. Come."

He knew that he had been too hard on her last night, sending her into the spare room with such harsh words had been a cruel way of trying to cast his nagging thoughts of blame regarding his growing fondness of her away, and it had pierced his heart when he had been forced to listen to her sobbing. When he had been unable to find sleep even after she had finally become silent, he had picked the sleeping girl up to carry her into his own bed, pulling her close to his body and falling asleep as soon as he had buried his face in the soft and warm crook of her neck. When he had awakened today to see the look of fear and insecurity in his little mortal's face, he had felt the sudden need to ease the burden that he'd put on her mind the night before, and he had leant forwards to kiss her. But the long and soft kiss that he had given her had awoken another need inside of him, an unfamiliar need - the need to not just fuck her the way he usually did, but to really _be_ with her instead, to worship her whole body, to become one with her.

He couldn't remember the last time he had ever slept with a woman in such a slow and tender way. It might have been the first time, actually.

Loki had thought that she'd understood his actions of this morning as his way of apologizing for his actions of the night before, but when he looked at her now as she was following him into the dining room with her head bowed and her gaze glued to the ground, he had the distinct feeling that this was not the case. He couldn't blame her, really - his ever changing behaviour towards her gave him a headache, and he couldn't even imagine the way it had to unsettle and discomfit the girl.

Maybe what he had in mind for the next days would give her some of the comfort and solace she deserved.

When they had both sat down at the table and the maid serving them dinner had left, Loki smiled at Layla.

"How do you feel, little mortal?"

It was always a good sign when he asked her this question, just as it was a good sign when he called her little mortal or little one instead of slave girl, and Layla felt herself relax a bit.

"I am fine", she replied, as always, wondering why he still asked her this question any other day - she had never given him a different answer.

"How very surprising", he smirked, impaling a piece of meat with his fork.

Layla started to eat, too, her gaze glued to her plate, cautiously glancing at Loki from time to time who pretended not to notice it.

"You told me that you used to visit a lake near your hometown", he suddenly said, and Layla lifted her head in surprise.

"Yes?"

Loki grinned. "Was that a question or an answer?"

"Um - an answer", Layla said, "I mean, yes, you're right, I did."

"I thought you might want to visit one of Asgard's lakes for a few days."

Layla stared at him, her chest tight from nervousness. "For - a few days?"

Loki nodded. "My family has a smaller palace at a lake that we used to travel to when Thor and I were children."

"And - and you want to send me there?"

Now Loki chuckled. "No. I want to travel there with you."

When Layla still stared at him with wide eyes, Loki sighed. "I have promised you that I would make up for the time I have been neglecting you, have I not? I thought that a few days outside of this palace would be an appropriate way to do so. It would only be the two of us there, no guards, no servants - just you and me."

Layla's heart was racing. Had he come up with this plan yesterday or even this very morning, she would have been delighted, there was no doubt about it. A short holiday with Loki, away from everything that could somehow put him in one of his bad moods, would have sounded amazing, and to finally see something else than this palace was more than tempting, too. Besides - even though she hadn't seen Thor or his friends anymore, the fear of running into them always lingered inside of her mind, and to be free from this constant fear for a few days would be wonderful. But after her conversation with Ophelia this afternoon she couldn't help but feel alarmed. Only she and Loki at a lonely lake with nobody else around at all? No guards, no servants - no _witnesses?_

She eyed him, trying to figure out what it was that he'd planned, but his face was just as unreadable as always.

"No need to leap for joy now", Loki said deadpan as he saw the shocked expression on Layla's face. He had expected her to show at least a hint of joy when he told her about his plan.

"I - I apologize", she replied, her voice strained.

Loki took another bite of his dinner. "The Sævar Lake is Asgard's biggest and most beautiful lake, and it lies in a very quiet environment; the next village is miles away. It is very peaceful there, and like I said, I intend to travel without any servants." He gave her a smile before he purred, "Just the two of us, darling."

Layla felt cold. Maybe this was how he got rid of his slaves? Was this the reason nobody knew about their destiny? He took them to this godforsaken lake, had his way with them a few more times and then returned home alone, leaving his slaves' lifeless bodies at the bottom of the lake? Was she about to meet the same end now?

She shivered at the thought and Loki narrowed his eyes.

"What is it?"

Layla cleared her throat. "I - I'm just - I don't know -"

Loki leant back in his chair. "I assume that I cannot blame you for your confusion. I have been a bit - erratic towards you."

She couldn't help herself - she snorted.

 _Finally_ , Loki thought with a smirk. _Now there is my Layla again._

But just as suddenly as she had appeared, she was gone. Now he looked into a pair of nervous brown eyes again.

"Be it as it may", he went on, quite annoyed and a bit disappointed about her reaction, "We will leave in two days, and you should -"

Loki stopped talking and frowned when he saw Layla's hands tremble.

"Well, would you care to tell me why the prospect of a few days at a lake with me is terrifying enough to make you tremble?"

"Are you going to kill me?" Layla burst out and quickly covered her mouth with her hands when she realized what she had just said.

The god raised his eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?"

Layla's cheeks were crimson and she shook her head frantically. "I - I'm sorry - " she muttered.

"What exactly is it that you fear?" Both Loki's voice and face were blank and it was impossible for Layla to say if he was angry, amused or maybe both.

"I - I just thought - maybe you don't want me anymore - and taking me to a lake, far away from everyone -"

Loki laughed out. "You thought I might want to drown you in the lake and return home alone?"

Layla was close to tears by now. He made it sound like a joke, but who knew - he was unpredictable, that was certain, and maybe Ophelia was right - maybe he just enjoyed playing with her; maybe this was nothing but a game for him.

When Loki noticed the tears in her eyes, his face softened. "I am far from being tired of you, little mortal. So, to answer your question - no. No, I am not going to kill you. Not yet", he added with an amused smirk, enjoying to watch Layla pale again. "I had merely planned to have you all to myself for a few days, and decided to enjoy this time in a more peaceful environment." Now he frowned. "I was thinking that you would enjoy visiting the Sævar Lake since you have told me that you liked being at the lake at your home, but if -"

"No!" Layla said quickly.

She had taken a deep, relieved breath when Loki had reassured her that he would not kill her ( _yet_ \- but again, her mind had decided to just ignore the disturbing part of Loki's behaviour for now). He didn't have a reason to lie, did he, everybody would be perfectly fine with him killing her, so she assumed that he had spoken the truth. As surprising as it was - he actually just seemed to want to spend a few nice days with her.

Ophelia must have been wrong, Layla thought, why would he want to spend more time with her if he wanted to get rid of her? It was the polar opposite, actually - he enjoyed being with her so much that he actually wished to see her even more! With her fear of being murdered gone, Layla suddenly felt a twinge of excitement and joy at the thought.

"I'd love to!" she said, "I - that sounds awesome! I was just - "

"- worried that I was going to kill you", Loki finished her sentence with an amused glint in his eyes.

Layla avoided his gaze. "Um - yes - but - I'd love to come with you."

Loki smiled. "Very well. Not that you would have had a choice", he suddenly added with a frown, "But it is certainly easier if you are going to accompany me on your own volition."

"Yeah, chains don't suit me", Layla said without thinking, and was relieved when Loki laughed heartily.

"We will find that out soon enough", he said, winking at her, and again, Layla paled. She decided that she'd rather not ask what he'd meant with that.

"Anyways", Loki said, "You will need a few new clothes for our excursion, and I was thinking that you might want to go to the market place with the maids you have befriended to buy whatever it is that you need." He eyed her for a moment. "I trust you to not endanger both your and your friends' lives by attempting to run away if I allow you to go to the market place with them."

Layla beamed at him. A shopping trip with Shiari and Anjali sounded so amazing that it almost seemed to be too good to be true.

"Of course I won't! Thank you!" she exclaimed, her face bright with excitement, "That's -" A sudden thought struck her, and she fell silent.

Loki looked at her, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "What is it, do you fear that I will kill you on the market place now?"

She swallowed hard. It was a bit unsettling, to say the least, that he was talking about murdering her with such casualness. But he had said that he was 'far from being tired of her', that meant that she still had some time, right?

"Tell me what it is", Loki said, slightly annoyed, "Do you not wish to go to the market?"

"I do", Layla murmured, "But - it's - I - I can't. I don't have any money."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Fortunately, I am a prince and have more than enough of that. I will provide you with everything that you need."

Layla hesitated. She knew that it was ridiculous - this man owned her in every possible way, and now she felt uncomfortable accepting money from him.

"Okay", she murmured eventually, and added, "Thank you."

He smiled. "Very well. As I said, we will leave in two days. You should do your shopping tomorrow."

"I will! How are we going to get to this - Savy Lake?"

"The Sævar Lake. We will ride there. As far as I remember, there is a certain horse that does not allow anybody but you to touch her, anyways, so you can take this one, if you so wish."

Again, Layla beamed at him."Yes! Thank you!"

"I expect you to have your bags packed by tomorrow evening." Loki smirked at her. "Do not take too many clothes with you, though", he purred, "You will not need them most of the time."

 

 


	28. Let's Get Back To Having Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been writing a lot on my mobile phone lately, and today I noticed that when I type "Loki's", the three words my phone suggests to write next are: 1) cock, 2) hair, 3) eyes. I think that says a lot about both Loki's sexiness and my dirty mind :D  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter!

"Wake up, beautiful."

Layla hummed reluctantly. "Just one more minute. I'm so tired."

"I shall punish you for your disobedience if you refuse to wake up now."

"Go ahead, punish me", Layla murmured, still half asleep, and Loki frowned, eyeing her thoughtfully.

He was torn between amusement and indignation regarding her lack of respect. When he brushed his hands over her cheek and she let out a quiet sigh, he made his decision rather quickly.

"Very well, then", he replied. He let go of Layla's waist that he had been holding, gently pushed her on her back, ignoring her protesting noises, and leaned over her. With a quick wave of his hand he put a light sleeping spell on her. "There you go", he said with a mischievous smirk, "One more minute, as you wish."

He took her hands and positioned them above her head, magically bound together with his seidr, and, with a second hand gesture, let her nightgown vanish before he crawled between her legs. Still smirking, he spread them and brushed his fingers against her womanhood, growling quietly when he felt her soft folds.

With another flick of his wrist, the spell he'd put on Layla was removed, but to his surprise, she stayed asleep, completely unfazed by her constrained wrists that were pinned down above her head. Loki shook his head in disbelief. She had clearly become too comfortable around him. Somehow he actually found it charming, but for now he'd make sure to wake her up and let her suffer for her disobedience.

He touched her center with his lips, glancing at Layla who didn't even stir in her sleep. When he let his tongue wander over her clit, she let out a soft sigh, unconsciously parting her legs even more for him, and Loki grinned lewdly whilst his fingers were probing her already wet folds. He had been hard from the very moment he had bound her wrists together with his seidr, and her sweet taste and quiet moans made his cock throb in eager anticipation.

He suckled on her clit and carefully pushed two fingers inside of her, and Layla awoke with a gasp.

"Oh god, what - what are - hey, I can't move my arms!"

Loki chuckled. "I know, darling. You cannot move at all, in fact. You did want to stay in bed, after all, did you not?"

Layla moaned as he withdrew his fingers slowly just to push them back in again.

"Y-yes, I mean, no - but - what are you doing?"

Again, he let out a soft chuckle. "Do I really have to explain?"

He curled his fingers inside of her, moving them in and out of her tunnel at a fast pace now, and Layla's breathing quickened. When he flicked his tongue against her clit, Layla moaned loudly.

"Oh god, yes -"

Loki could feel her starting to tremble, and he withdrew his fingers and his tongue quickly, smirking evilly as Layla whimpered at the denied relief.

"Now, this is a punishment, is it not?" he said softly, "Do you think that you deserve to come yet?"

"Yes!" Layla gasped without even thinking, and Loki chuckled.

"I am afraid to tell you that I disagree, darling."

He moved to kneel down between her legs and started to stroke his erection. Layla glanced at him and moaned at the sight.

"Please!"

Loki brushed his cock against her slit, and Layla struggled to push her body against it, but it was true - the movements she was allowed to make were very limited. She desperately tried to pull her arms down, but they seemed to be pinned to the mattress above her head, and she wriggled as much as she could to get as much friction as possible.

"So eager", Loki smirked, "I thought you preferred to sleep?"

"No", Layla moaned, "I'm awake, please, I'm sorry - please, go ahead -"

Loki hummed. "You want to feel my hard cock inside of your greedy little body, do you not?"

"Yes", Layla growled.

He stroked her folds with his hands, enjoying the sounds his touch evoked, and when he met Layla's longing gaze, he continued stroking himself, making sure that she could see every single one of his movements. With a smirk he touched her clit with his swollen cock, and Layla whimpered, again trying to arch into him. She couldn't even see or feel anything that was holding her back; there was no rope, no cuffs, nothing - _it must be his damn magic_ , she thought, letting out a long moan as he brushed his cock against her clit again.

"I could keep you in bed all day, darling, constrained like this, and you would not be capable to pleasure yourself, let alone be allowed to be pleasured by me - I would only touch you from time to time to keep you right on the edge for the entire day, without ever allowing you the release you so desperately crave - what do you think?"

Layla shook her head frantically. "You don't want that", she panted, "You want to come, too, don't you?"

Loki chuckled. "Such a nice try, little one. But do not worry, I will have my release - I might even have it right here and now and cover your delicious body with my seed. Would you like that?"

Layla whimpered as he leaned over her and suckled on her nipple, deliberately letting his rock hard cock brush against her dripping wet folds. He lifted his head and pressed his lips against hers, and his tongue conquered her mouth in mere seconds while he teasingly rubbed his length over her slit. Layla moaned into his mouth, silently begging him to finally take her, but he just smirked against her lips.

When he pushed a finger inside of her again, she immediately struggled to lift her hips, groaning in frustration when she was instantly reminded that she couldn't.

"God, please", she cried out when Loki let go of her mouth, smirking evilly.

Her whole body was on fire, the tension was unbearable, and she wanted, _needed_ Loki inside of her, _now_ -

He slowly slipped just the tip of his swollen cock inside of her, and Layla let out a loud sigh of relief, followed by a shocked cry when he pulled out of her again and stood up.

"I think I'd rather have breakfast first", he said, completely unfazed by the sounds she made, and Layla watched with complete bewilderment as the god let his gaze wander over her trembling body, winked at her and then walked into the dining room, leaving her on the bed, unable to move and panting and shivering in desperate need for her release.

"Wait!" she yelled, "At least let me go! Loki! Release me!"

She heard him chuckle from the other room and closed her eyes in disbelief. He couldn't be serious.

"You can't be serious!" she cried out, and heard another low chuckle.

Obviously, he was dead serious.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki took his time with his breakfast. He was just as aroused as Layla, he craved his release just as much as she did hers, but he enjoyed this little game far too much to rush it. When he walked back into his bedroom fifteen minutes later, Layla was a whimpering mess.

"Goddamn it, fuck me already", she yelled when she saw the naked god enter the room, and he chuckled.

"Such vulgar language, my eager little slave."

Loki sat down beside her and let his fingers wander over her naked body, and when he cupped her breasts, she arched into his touch as much as her invisible chains allowed her to. He stroked over her slit and slowly pushed one finger inside of her.

"You are soaking wet, darling."

Layla growled. "Please, Loki!"

He added a second finger and thrusted them into her at a fast pace, rubbing her clit with his thumb whilst his other hand twisted her nipple, making her moan out in desire. Leaning over her, he brushed his lips against hers and smirked when Layla returned the kiss fiercely. He deepened the kiss and let go of her folds as he moved over her, resting on one hand while the other one massaged her breasts passionately. His hard length brushed over Layla's throbbing womanhood and she moaned into his mouth.

She gasped when she could feel it slide into her just an inch, but then, just like before, Loki pulled out of her and interrupted the kiss, smirking down on her.

"I think I need to take a bath first", he purred, relishing the shock in Layla's widening eyes, and stood up.

"No no no, come back, please!"

"Oh, but darling, you did wish to stay in bed, did you not?", Loki mocked her, "You know, I had planned to take you into the bathroom with me, to lift you up, push you against the wall and fuck you hard and fast while the hot water rains down on us -"

Layla whimpered, completely lost in her desire, and Loki shrugged casually. "But since you preferred to stay in bed -"

And with these words, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, leaving a furiously aroused girl behind that yelled for him to come back.  
  


 

* * *

 

  
When Loki came back into the bedroom again, his wet hair fell down onto his shoulders and sent drops of water down his defined chest; he had a white towel wrapped around his hips, and the enormous bulge in the front revealed his still very prominent erection. He smirked at Layla when he sat down next to her.

"You look quite unsatisfied."

Layla's hair was a mess, her cheeks were red, her eyes glazed and just the sight of the half naked god was enough to make her pant again. She shot him an angry glare and he chuckled as he leaned over her and gave her a long, deep kiss while his hands cupped her breasts and pinched her nipples. When his hands slowly trailed down her waist and reached her throbbing womanhood, she let out a sob.

"Please, please stop teasing me, I - I need to come, _please!_ "

Loki let his tongue circle her nipple, carefully nibbling at it, and rubbed his palm over her clit. When he let go of her, Layla cried out in desperation, expecting him to leave again, but Loki couldn't endure the tension anymore, either. His whole being longed for Layla's body, to thrust into her, to hear her moan and scream beneath him when he'd spill his seed into her, and he kneeled down between her legs and leaned over her, supporting himself on his hands at each side of her body as he positioned himself at her more than ready entrance.

"Beg me", he growled, and Layla didn't need to be asked twice.

"Please, Loki, Your Highness, take me, I am all yours, Loki - I am yours -"

With a guttural growl, Loki pushed his whole length into her, moaning out as his swollen cock was finally greeted by Layla's hot, tight core. He thrusted into her, fast and deep, brushing against her clit with every single thrust, and it took Layla only a few seconds until she was already screaming ecstatically, overwhelmed by an orgasm that was so intense that everything went black for a split second. Loki fucked her relentlessly through her climax, groaning as her tight tunnel clenched around his cock.

Layla hadn't even come down from her peak yet when she could already feel the second wave of euphoria come closer. Her moans became louder again, and all of a sudden, her arms and legs were free and she wrapped them around Loki's body hungrily, pulling him even closer into her.

Loki was thrusting into her at a fast pace and he growled when he could suddenly feel Layla's arms and legs embrace his body - he hadn't even wanted to free her, but he was riding a wave of such ecstasy that he had let go of everything, including his control of his seidr, which happened very, very rarely.

When Layla started screaming his name again and Loki could feel her core spasm around his cock, he buried himself inside of her to the hilt, cupping her face with his hands as he spilled his seed deep inside of her, and his whole body was jerking as he thrusted into her fiercely to ride out their orgasms. Eventually, he collapsed on top of her, sweating and panting and murmuring her name over and over again, and Layla covered his neck and shoulders with fervent kisses as she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his body flush against hers, silently begging him to never let go of her again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"If that was a punishment, I should disobey more frequently", Layla joked, and Loki eyed her, pleasantly surprised.

"You enjoyed that?"

Layla blushed. "Not the whole time, but god, the end was absolutely worth it."

Loki smirked. "Then I will have to think of another punishment for the next time you disobey. Now come, we both need a bath."

When they were done in the bathroom, Layla watched Loki curiously as he opened one of the drawers of his desk. He murmured a few words in a foreign language and waved his hand before he took a small pouch made of green velvet out of it. He walked over to Layla and gave her a serious look.

"There is a fair amount of gold inside of this pouch. I trust you to spend it wisely for whatever it is that you need - garments, cosmetics, I do not care as long as you do not do anything stupid. I assume that my parents' handmaid will accompany you to the market?"

"Shiari? I don't know yet, I haven't asked her -"

Loki nodded. "I will let her know that she is to come with you. This maid has my trust. She will help you find what you need." He hesitated for a moment, eyeing her carefully. "If you attempt to run away, there will be serious consequences awaiting not only you, but your friend, as well."

Layla shook her head. "I won't run away, I promise."

"I advise you to keep this promise."

Layla nodded nervously and took the pouch. She opened it hesitantly and gasped. There were more than two dozens of coins inside of it, they had different sizes and Layla could tell by the weight that they were all made of pure gold. Even though she didn't know anything at all about the currency here in Asgard, it was quite obvious that she was holding a little fortune in her hands.

"Oh my - th-thank you, Your Highness", she stuttered, overwhelmed by his generosity.

He made a dismissive hand gesture. "It is yours. You may spend all of it today or not, as you wish. Whatever will remain of it will be yours, too."

Layla stared at him in disbelief. "I - it's all for me? But - why?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Shall I reconsider my decision?"

She eyed the heavy golden coins in her hand. "No, I'm very - very grateful, Your Highness - I - I will not disappoint you!"

The prince nodded graciously. "I do not expect you to. Make sure to have your belongings packed in the evening; there is a travel bag lying in your wardrobe. We will leave rather early tomorrow morning."

When Layla beamed at him, Loki returned her gaze suspiciously.

"You seem overly joyful."

Layla laughed. "Why should I not? I'm going shopping today, with my friends and more gold than I've ever seen in my life, and tomorrow I'm going on a vacation with my - w-with you, Your Highness -"

She realized with a hint of panic that she had almost called him her boyfriend. _Thank God I've noticed it in time_. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment. What the hell was wrong with her? He was her _owner_ , not her boyfriend.

Loki looked at her with a smug expression that made her quite certain that he was very well aware of what she'd almost said.

"I am pleased to see you so eager for our travel", he said with a smirk, "But now, take care of your duties before you go to the market. Business before pleasure, as you midgardians say - and I can promise you a lot of pleasure for the next days, darling."

 

 

* * *

 

  
Layla had never cleaned Loki's chambers as quickly as she had today - she couldn't wait to leave the palace and go to the market. When she was finally done with her daily tasks, she hurried into the kitchen.

"Hello Ophelia! Do you know where Shiari and Anjali are?"

Ophelia turned around and smiled. "What do you think? It is my job to know that. Anjali is in the hall, cleaning the breakfast tables, and Shiari is sitting in the staff room, waiting for you."

Layla frowned. "She's waiting for me?"

The head housemaid nodded. "A certain prince has ordered her to accompany you to the market place today."

Layla blushed deeply. "Oh, that - that's not what - I -"

Ophelia smiled. "Don't worry, she's happy to come with you. Go now. And be careful at the market; don't do anything stupid."

"Why does everybody keep telling me that?" Layla laughed out, and Ophelia shook her head.

"Off you go now."

Layla had already turned around when she suddenly stopped. "Um, Ophelia? Could - I mean, just today, could -"

Ophelia huffed. "Anjali is free to go if she so wishes. Tell her that she will have to work a weekend shift, though."

Layla beamed at her. "Thank you!"

When she had met Shiari in the staff room and the two of them had picked up Anjali, they walked through the palace together, heading for the entrance hall.

"Your shopping trip is a blessing, really! I so didn't feel like working today!"

Shiari grinned at her friend. "When do you ever feel like working?"

Anjali chuckled. "Rarely. So, what is it that you want to buy, Layla?"

Layla shrugged. "I'm not even sure. The prince wants to take me to some Sævar Lake for a few days and he said I'd need a few new clothes for that."

"He takes you to the Sævar Lake?" Anjali exclaimed, and Layla nodded.

When she saw her two friends exchange a look, she sighed. "Let me guess, that's not common?"

Shiari shook her head, obvious concern written on her face. "No - but - that doesn't have to mean anything", she said carefully, "Maybe he just wants a few days off - and he does seem to enjoy your company -"

Layla noticed that Anjali avoided her gaze. "Anjali?" When she met Anjali's gaze, she was shocked to see tears in her friend's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Anjali looked at Shiari and back to Layla, and she swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Layla, but - Loki _did_ take his former slaves for a vacation. But only once with each one. And he's always returned home alone."

Layla took a deep breath. "But - are you sure? I had the same thought, but I asked the prince if he was going to kill me at the lake, and -"

Both women stared at her in disbelief.

"You asked him if he wanted to kill you?" Shiari repeated, close to laughing, and Layla nodded.

"You really are one of a kind. So what did he say?"

"He said that he's not tired of me yet and that he just wants to spend a few relaxing days with me."

Shiari let out a relieved sigh, but Anjali didn't seem convinced. "I really don't want to be the killjoy here, but he's the god of lies, after all."

"Well, but it would be too early for it, anyways", Shiari argued, "Layla has been here for a few months, all the other ones have - have gone missing after decades, sometimes centuries of being the prince's slave -"

Anjali nodded. "Good point. That's true."

Layla eyed her friends nervously. "So what, am I gonna die tomorrow or not?"

They both seemed to be speechless for a moment, but then, Anjali shook her head. "I don't think so", she said happily, "You should have a few more years, sweetie."

"Great", Layla said deadpan, trying hard not to focus on the fact that they had just discussed the time of her murder.

"The Sævar Lake is really beautiful", Shiari said eventually, obviously trying to cheer Layla up, "I have accompanied the royal family there a few times already. It is warm there, you will need light clothes and maybe something to swim in, since the prince likes to swim in the lake and might want you to join him. How much gold do you have?"

"Um, no idea. It looked like a lot. Here."

She gave Shiari the velvet pouch and when the maid opened it, she gasped. "That is a lot! You can buy garments for the next years with that!"

"He said I could keep the change, too", Layla said, still amazed by the god's kindness, and both women shook their heads.

"I'm telling you, that guy is crazy", Anjali muttered, "He's seriously freaking me out. At least King Thor is always a damn jerk -"

"Anjali!" Shiari exclaimed, quickly glancing behind to see if anybody had heard her.

"- Come on, he is! But Prince Loki - one day he's nice to Layla, the other one he's cruel, I just don't get it."

Layla sighed. "He's been much nicer lately, really."

Anjali huffed, and Layla decided not to deepen the topic.

When they reached the entrance hall of the palace, Layla gaped at the huge golden gate. It was engraved with hundreds of beautiful ornaments and adorned with countless sparkling jewels of different colours. There were several guards standing in front of it, but they must have been told to let them pass, for they simply waved at them when Shiari told them who they were.

Shiari and Anjali walked right through the gate, but Layla hesitated.

"Come on, sweetie", Anjali called, and Layla swallowed.

She had never left the palace without Loki by her side before - apart from her attempted escape through the forests that she would rather not think about - and she suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable at the thought of strolling through this foreign world without Loki to protect her if anything were to happen to her.

Shiari gave her a warm smile. "Everything's going to be fine, I promise. We'll have a great day at the market and you'll be back in time, too."

Layla nodded, took a deep breath and stepped through the gate, joining her two friends as they walked through the palace's front gardens.

   
  


* * *

 

  
It turned out that Shiari was right - Layla couldn't remember the last time she had been laughing so much. Anjali and Shiari were good-humoured and obviously enjoyed their trip, and the three girls had a lot of fun strolling through the streets, picking out clothes for Layla and, in Anjali's case, flirting with the sellers.

The market place was huge and offered an incredible variety of different goods. There were numerous market stalls where they could buy garments, jewelry, cosmetics, decorative items and different kinds of foods, but there were also many stalls that offered things Layla had never heard of before - at least not outside of Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. Ingredients for potions and spells, magical herbs and ointments, enchanted items, mystical amulets that started to glow when Layla touched them - she didn't even know what to look at first.

Loki had once brought her here, but he had only shown her the market from the outside without allowing her to walk up to the different stalls. And now she wasn't only allowed to go wherever she wanted to go to - she even had money to spend.

Two hours after their arrival, Layla, Shiari and Anjali sat down at a table of something that resembled a restaurant. Layla had bought three new dresses, a pair of pants, two elegant, flowing shirts, underwear, a piece of very light, dress-like clothing that Shiari and Anjali had promised her to be the asgardian equivalent to a swimsuit, a pair of flat shoes and a special shampoo that, as the seller had promised, would 'make her hair look as if it had been kissed by the suns of all the nine realms'. She had also bought some foreign sweets, out of sheer curiosity, and a beautiful little item, not bigger than a tennis ball, that looked like a sparkling star. It hovered a few inches above the table it was put on and bathed every room in feeble, colorful light when someone waved its hand at it. Layla had been admiring the beautiful little star for a while until Shiari had told her that it was a very common child's toy in Asgard, often used as a nightlight, and wouldn't cost much. She had decided to buy it then, just because she _could_ , and she had enjoyed the freedom of simply buying something she liked and the feeling of owning something that was just entirely hers so much that she had felt tears stinging in her eyes when she gave the seller a tiny golden coin and put the little star in her bag.

When they sat down at the table and Layla looked inside of her pouch, she realized in astonishment that she hadn't even spent a quarter of the gold Loki had given her.

"Why do I still have so much gold left?"

Shiari laughed. "That's a question I never get to ask myself, somehow. Do you want to look for more garments?"

Layla shook her head. "I have everything I need; I mean, I didn't really need anything in the first place... I'd just like to go to this book seller you told me about, but that's all."

"Well, if the prince actually allows you to keep the change, you can still spend it next time we come here", Anjali smirked, "It's nice to actually buy some of the things I see, even if it's not for myself."

"Do you visit the market often?"

Anjali nodded. "Lately, yes. King Thor lets me do all of his shopping since he's become the king."

"He didn't do that before?"

"No. I'm just a chambermaid, after all - I should only be responsible for cleaning his chambers." She sighed. "But ever since he's become the king... I'm the maid for everything he wants and needs now."

Layla's eyes widened. "Everything? But - does that mean -"

Anjali shook her head with a smile that seemed rather sad to Layla. "No, not that. Even he has to adhere to the law. Telling me to do his shopping and clean his armour is one thing, but he is not allowed to turn me into his bedmaid. Not that he wouldn't want to", she added bitterly.

Shiari looked at the ground; she obviously knew what Anjali was talking about, but Layla frowned, alarmed by Anjali's last sentence.

"It's just the way he looks at me", Anjali said quietly, her gaze glued to the table, "And the things he says sometimes. I'm - well, I'm not really comfortable around him anymore. I never worried about that before, but - considering that he's king now, I'm really scared that he's going to change the law so he can do with me as he wishes."

"Could he do that?" Layla said, shocked, and both women nodded.

"He's the king. If he decided to amend the law, nobody could stop him."

Shiari cleared her throat. "But I don't think he would do that, Anjali", she said soothingly, "If he's clever, he knows that such a change in the law would create a stir in the society, especially after there has been such a turmoil because of what happened with Layla."

Anjali nodded thoughtfully. She looked at Layla and gave her a smile. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that the prince treats you so much better now, but when Asgard's society was finally starting to question its laws of slavery because of you... I was really hoping that it would lead somewhere."

Layla frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the controversy just kind of fell into oblivion again as soon as they saw how well the prince treats you now. People returned to thinking slavery is not so bad after all."

"That's ridiculous", Layla said angrily, "There are so many slaves in Asgard! The slave market where Loki has purchased me - there were hundreds of girls and they treated them all like shit! We were beaten, starved, some of the girls _died!_ How can people think that everything's fine in slavery just because one single slave's treatment has been improved?"

Shiari smiled sadly. "They can because they want to. It's easier that way."

They all fell silent for a moment, until Anjali cleared her throat. "Sorry girls, I didn't want to spoil the mood.  Let's get back to having fun, shall we? Don't you want to eat or drink something, Layla?"

Layla smiled at her. "Sure."

When she looked at the tiny menu card, though, she realized that she couldn't read a single word of it. Anjali, who'd noticed her embarrassed expression, smiled.

"They have lots of different teas, juices and ales here as well as cake. What would you like?"

"Um - I don't know - what are you going to order?"

Anjali blushed as she looked down at the table. "Oh no, I'm fine, I - I don't need anything."

Layla frowned, but it only took her a second to realize how stupid her question had been - Anjali was a slave, just like Layla, but unlike Layla, nobody had sent Anjali to the market with a considerable amount of gold in her pockets.

"Come on, it's on me", Layla said cheerfully, "You two are my guests, as a thank you for all your help!"

Anjali avoided Layla's gaze, and Layla smirked as she added, "We should spend as much gold as we can, shouldn't we, just in case that the prince has his mood swings again and won't allow me to keep the change?"

When Anjali looked up and met Layla's gaze, she smiled. "Thank you. I'll take the hunangberry juice, then."

"There's juice made of hunangberries?" Layla exclaimed, "I'll have that, too! Why don't they serve it in the palace?"

Shiari chuckled. "They do. Just not to us."

"Typical", Layla huffed, "Well, the joke's on them, because now I'm going to buy us a round with their gold!"

   
  


* * *

 

  
When the three women had finished their break an hour later - they had taken their time drinking their juices, eating cake and chatting - Shiari stated that it would be time to return to the palace soon, and so they quickly walked to the market stall that Layla had wanted to visit before they'd start back.

The seller was an old, bearded guy with kind blue eyes, and he was more than happy to show Layla every single book with midgardian literature that he had.  
When she had picked two books - Shakespeare and Goethe, not exactly light fare, but just the thought of having her very own books had lit up her entire face - something in the corner of one of the shelves caught her eye. When the seller saw her gaze, he smiled.

"You have an acquired taste, young lady. This is my most valuable fountain pen. Would you like to see it?"

Layla nodded with a smile and held her breath when the man gave her the pen. It was made out of gold and was tooled with tiny black and dark green gemstones. The pen cap was black and its tip looked like a golden crown that held a beautiful, globular-shaped emerald in its centre.

"How much is this?" she heard herself ask, and the seller smiled.

"Three stórr penningr. But for you, young lady, it is two stórr and a midr penningr."

Layla had learned enough about the weird asgardian currency to know that the man had just given her a substantial discount, and she beamed at him. "Thank you so much! I will take it!"

She heard Shiari and Anjali gasp behind her and turned around.

"Layla, that is more than you've spent all day!" Anjali said, irritated.

Layla smiled as she shrugged. "I know. But I - I just love pens."

They both shook their heads, but Layla was delighted. She gave the man the coins and he put the fountain pen into a beautiful little casket before he handed it over. When she had carefully put the casket into her bag, she let out a contented sigh and turned around to beam at her friends.

"Now I'm done! Let's go back to the palace!"

 

 


	29. Let Me Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the delay, everybody. Thank you so much for your patience, I hope you'll like this chapter!

Loki's day had been much less pleasant than Layla's. He'd had a few arguments with his brother regarding his military tactics, and while their debates had always been straining, they've usually made Odin at least reconsider his decisions. Now, with Thor as the king, there was not much room for reconsiderations anymore. Thor seemed to enjoy to let Loki raise his objections with an arrogant expression on his face before he'd declare to maintain his decision, always smirking triumphantly at Loki.

 _He could as well just say "Nanana, I'm the king and you are not!"_ , Loki thought angrily. There were little things that infuriated him more than being ignored and surpassed like this, and Thor knew that very well.

The one thing that had kept his sanity today was the prospect of spending some days far away from his annoying brother, and as if that alone wasn't enough to cheer him up, he'd be with his little mortal, too. He sighed at the thought. He knew that it was unwise to give into his desire for her like this, but he was tired of fighting against his needs. At the end of the day, he was the god of mischief - he was not expected to abide by social conventions, anyways, so why should he care about them?

He still didn't understand what it was that made him crave the company of a mortal like this, and he was curious whether the time they were going to spend together at the lake might help him to make up his mind. Maybe he'd finally find out what it was that was drawing him to her like that.

In the afternoon, he had visited the horse stables to tell Brios to prepare the horses early in the morning, and when he returned to the palace afterwards to finally call it a day, a guard approached him.

"My Prince, the queen demands your presence."

Loki sighed and dismissed him with a hand gesture before he turned around to walk to his parents' chambers. He just hoped that this wasn't about his earlier arguments with Thor - his mother had told him over and over again to suspend his judgement when he was around his brother to not provoke his anger, and he had clearly disregarded her wishes just as much as Thor had disregarded his.

When he entered his mother's chamber, he was neither thrilled nor surprised to see Thor already standing beside her.

"Brother, this is none of your business", Thor said instantly, and Loki frowned.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I have asked your brother to come here, son", Frigga stated quickly, "I wanted to talk to him about a personal matter. I was not aware that you would come to seek my advice at the same time."

Thor glanced at her. "I did not come to seek your advice, mother. I came to inform you about my decision."

Loki raised his eyebrows. Thor's behaviour towards their mother had changed during these last months. Ever since he had become king, he had lost more and more respect for their mother and queen, but until now, the changes in his manners had been quite subtle. There was nothing subtle at all to find in his last remark, though.

Frigga looked at her elder son with a blank expression, but Loki knew her well enough to recognize the emotions she was trying to hide behind her mask of calmness.

"What decision would that be?" she said quietly, and Thor straightened his shoulders.

"I am planning to amend the law concerning the service areas of royal slaves."

Frigga frowned. "Why would you do that?"

"I have been thinking about it for a while and I came to the conclusion that it's just ridiculous to restrict the responsibilities of each slave to a certain area. It would be far more efficient if the allocation of duties is to be handled more flexibly."

Loki snorted in disbelief. "You mean, you want to be allowed to fuck a serving maid if you see one that you like."

"Loki!" Frigga exclaimed, but Loki just shook his head.

"What is it, mother? My words may be harsh, but did I not speak the truth?"

Thor shrugged. "Call it whatever you wish, brother. I have made my decision."

Frigga cleared her throat. "Thor, the section about explicit service areas is a substantial part of Asgard's slave laws and I doubt -"

"I do not care whether you think of it as a good idea or not, mother", Thor snapped, "With all due respect, but I am the _king,_ and -"

"The _transitional_ king!" Frigga said, her voice rising slightly, "You seem to have forgotten that this position is not permanent yet, son! As soon as your father reawakens, he will return to the throne, and I doubt that he's going to appreciate a law amendment that neither he nor Asgard will approve of!"

Thor crossed his arms. "I believe that it is time to amend the law."

"It is - especially after the recent disturbances in our society - certainly _not_ the time to amend a law that has been passed to protect Asgard's slaves!"

" _'Protect Asgard's slaves'!_ By the norns, they are _slaves_ , mother! They are puchased to serve us, and if I wish for a kitchenmaid to clean my chambers or a chambermaid to pleasure me -"

"As I supposed", Loki murmured, and Thor shot him an angry glare.

Frigga frowned. "There are more than enough slaves available for every single work area, and every slave is properly trained for the area they are working in. There is no reason to let a slave switch between different service areas. It would most certainly lead to both confusion and further resistance."

"We seem to have different views here, mother", Thor said casually, clearly indicating that he couldn't care less about his mother's opinion, and she narrowed her eyes at her son.

"Thor, you cannot change the law in a way that allows every slave owner in Asgard to abuse slaves without any boundaries. There is a reason for this specific paragraph and -"

When Thor waved his hand dismissively, anger flashed over Frigga's face.

"I may not have made myself clear, son. Your father has my word that I will wake him as soon as Asgard is threatened by any danger, and if you insist on a legislation amendment, I consider the stability of our society endangered enough to do so."

"Mother, you can't be serious, that is ridiculous!"

"I assure you that I am very serious about this."

Loki watched silently as Thor and Frigga stared at each other for a long moment, grim determination written on both their faces, until Thor finally lowered his gaze and left his mother's chamber without another word, slamming the door shut behind him. Frigga closed her eyes for a second before she looked at Loki.

"I am worried about him."

Loki raised his shoulders. "Father considered him ready for the throne, did he not?"

Nodding thoughtfully, Frigga looked out of the window. "I must say, I was not so sure that he was ready", she said quietly, "But your father wanted to give him a chance. My heart aches when I imagine the disappointment he will feel when he awakens."

Loki didn't reply. He didn't really share Frigga's pain - he was certain that he would be more than pleased to see the expression on his father's face when he was finally going to realize that his precious future king of Asgard was far from being a worthy successor to the throne.

"Every single one of his decisions since he has become king has been selfish and thoughtless", Frigga went on, frowning, "Maybe it was just too soon for him. He is still so impulsive, so careless - just like a child, sometimes. I don't think he was ready for this."

For a while, they both stood side by side in silence.

"Loki, I have to ask you a favour", she said eventually, and Loki cocked his head.

"Because of Thor?"

She shook her head. "No, it is not about him. It is the reason I wanted to speak to you today." With a sigh she began to pace up and down in her chambers. "As you know, I have promised your mortal slave to find out about her family a while ago."

Loki nodded slowly. He had forgotten about that. "Did you find anything?"

Frigga smiled sadly. "No. The answers I have received from her former owners have not been helpful at all. They do not even recall where they have taken her from. I do know where she used to live and would consider travelling there, but I do not wish to leave your father behind like this."

Loki frowned, waiting for her to continue, but she just looked at him. It took him a moment to understand.

"You wish for me to travel to Midgard and look for her family?"

Frigga nodded. "I have given her a promise. I do intend to keep it."

Loki shook his head. "I doubt that I am the person that should talk to her family."

"Maybe you are."

"Mother -"

"The girl wants to know how her family fares, and she also wishes for them to know about her wellbeing. Can you not understand how important this is for her?"

When Loki remained silent, Frigga took his hand. "I just wish to keep my promise, son. I must admit that I like this girl. She is something special. I also think it is of particular importance for her to know that her parents and her little sister are doing well. It might help her to come to terms with her former life."

Loki eyed his mother carefully. "You are aware that I might discover something unpleasant, too? Slave raiders are not known for their compassion."

It was true, and they both knew it. It was not uncommon that a group of slave raiders that attacked a village burnt it down and killed everyone they did not believe to be lucrative slaves after taking everyone they deemed valuable.

Frigga nodded slowly. "I just hope for the best, son. If you discover the worst... We will see."

Loki's gaze wandered through the room. He did not care about Layla's family at all; how could he, he didn't even know them. But he felt a painful twinge in his chest at the thought of having to tell Layla that her family was dead.

"But why now?" he said eventually, "As you know, I had planned to travel to the Sævar Lake tomorrow morning. I am sure that this can wait until I return?"

"It can, yes", Frigga said quietly, "But I am not sure if it should."

Loki rolled his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Frigga shot him a slightly admonishing glare. "Do not roll your eyes at me, son."

"I apologize", Loki muttered reluctantly, and his mother smiled.

"I have been waiting for the girl's former owners' answer for quite a while, and now that I have received it, it proves to be utterly unhelpful. I do not want to defer this longer than necessary. I would travel myself, but like I said..." She glanced at the door to her husband's chamber and let out a sigh.

"Well, fine", Loki said eventually, "I will do it."

Frigga smiled at him and took his hand. "Thank you, my son."

Loki gave his mother an amused look. "You know very well that I cannot refuse you anything, mother."

"I do", she replied, "And I appreciate it." She hesitated. "I was surprised to hear about your trip to the Sævar Lake, by the way. Is there anything I should know?"

Loki frowned. "Like what?"

"I am asking you. You have never taken a slave to the lake before. Maybe there is something -"

"There is nothing, mother. I need a few quiet days, that is all - and I enjoy my slave's company."

Frigga smiled at him. "I have seen her yesterday. She looks very well. It almost looks like she enjoys your company by now, as well."

Loki nodded hesitantly. "Possibly, yes."

"It took your former maids longer to grow fond of you, but usually, this is the time you choose to divest yourself of them."

"Is that so", Loki muttered, slightly embarrassed by the fact that his mother could see through him so easily, and she laughed.

"Oh Loki, when will you ever understand that there is nothing a son can keep from his mother?"

When her son didn't reply, Frigga smiled. "But you will keep Layla?"

Loki eyed his mother carefully. Her question had sounded innocent and she seemed to ask out of nothing but curiosity, but he still felt uncomfortable in this conversation.

"I will keep her, at least for a while longer."

"I'm happy to hear that."

Loki avoided her gaze. "I shall go now, I wish to be back as soon as possible."

When he left his mother's chamber, he almost bumped into Thor who was still standing outside and now looked at Loki with narrowed eyes.

"If you are waiting for our mother to change her mind, you can stand here forever", Loki smirked, and Thor shot him an angry glare.

"Your sudden sympathy with slaves really surprises me, brother", he spat, "This mortal whore has really twisted your mind, hasn't she?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about", Loki said coldly, "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to take care of than listen to you."

   
  


* * *

 

  
When Layla had returned to Loki's chambers, she had felt happier than she had been in a very long time. She'd unpacked all of her new belongings to just look at them for a moment before she had taken the travel bag out of her wardrobe and started to pack it for their holiday. Then, she had put the sweets that she'd bought into the little nightstand next to her bed and placed her new books and the _stjarna_ , the glowing star, onto it to marvel at it for a while.

Now that she actually had a few things in this little room that were hers, she started to feel a bit more comfortable in here. It didn't feel so much like a guest room for the prince's slaves anymore, but almost like her own room - if she'd buy a few more decorative items the next time she went to the market, maybe this could even feel a little bit like home one day.

There was only one thing left inside of her shopping bag now - the pen in its beautiful little wooden box. She opened it and brushed her finger against the pen, eyeing it thoughtfully. She hadn't really thought about it before she'd bought it. As soon as she had seen it, she had instantly known that it should be Loki's. The pen was not only covered in his colours, it had also seemed like an item that he would appreciate - Layla had already spent so much time watching him as he was sitting on his desk, writing into the innumerable books and maps and papers lying in front of him. Writing seemed to be one of the things he enjoyed doing the most.

When she had held the pen in her hands, she'd just had to buy it. She had felt this sudden urge to surprise the prince with something beautiful, something that would, just for once, put a genuine smile on his face, and something that would prove him that he could trust her. Somehow it had bothered her that he'd kept reminding her not to run away this morning - did he truly still expect her to just run away from him? She wasn't even _thinking_ about running away anymore; and it wasn't just because she knew that she had nowhere else to go, anyways. There was more to it. She didn't _want_ to leave anymore. She didn't want to be apart from him.

Layla closed her eyes for a moment when a sudden thought struck her. She _would_ be apart from him one day. The day would come when Loki would decide that he'd had enough of her; she knew that it was just a matter of time. It could happen today or in a year, or maybe in a decade, but the day would come.

When she opened her eyes and her gaze settled on the pen, she felt a tiny spark of warmth and hope inside of her chest. Maybe this way Loki wouldn't forget her so easily; maybe this way he'd still think about her, at least from time to time, after he'd have gotten rid of her. Maybe this way a tiny part of her would stay with him, even if she herself would be gone.

When she felt a tear fall from her face, she shook her head slowly and suddenly couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. To buy her future murderer a gift so he would remember her - that was certainly a whole new level of Stockholm syndrome.

With a sad smile she took the pen and walked into Loki's chamber before she hesitated. She was quite sure that Loki was not going to kill her at the lake; he had told her so, after all, but on the other hand - it wasn't like he hadn't broken his promises before, was it? She couldn't be absolutely sure that she'd ever return to the palace.

For a second, she just stared at the pen in her hand before she walked over to Loki's desk and took a small piece of pergament out of one of the drawers.

She would write him a letter and put it into the drawer with the pen. If Loki was actually going to kill her at the lake, he would find the pen and the letter in his drawer one day, and if she was lucky enough to return with him, she'd just take the box out of his desk before he' could find it, remove the letter and give Loki the pen as a thank you gift for their trip to the lake.

With a smile, she sat down in his incredibly soft armchair. Yes, she liked that idea.

Layla took the pen out of its box and started to write - emerald green ink, of course, she thought amused - before she put the box with the pen and her letter into the drawer and closed it, letting out a deep sigh. To her surprise, it had been a relief to finally tell Loki how she was feeling, even if it was just on a piece of paper. She still hoped that he would never read it, but somehow, writing everything down had put her mind at ease and she felt strangely peaceful now.

She returned into her room, cuddled into the bed and opened the Shakespeare book that she had bought today. _Life's strange_ , she thought - she had hated Shakespeare when she had been forced to read and analyze it in High School, and now here she was, endlessly grateful to hold this book in her hands just because it was a little piece of home.

She ate a few of the incredibly delicious sweets she had bought - she really hoped that Loki would allow her to go to the market again, because she needed more of them - and indulged in the book.

When the door to the chambers opened a while later, Layla jumped to her feet to greet Loki. She was a bit embarrassed for acting like a little child that was excited to go on its first holiday, but to get out of this palace for a while seemed like a gift from heaven to her, and she really hoped that she might be able to finally get to know Loki a little bit better, too. Even the possibility of being killed couldn't temper her delight - she couldn't do anything against it, anyways, and at least she had left Loki both a letter to let him know how she felt about him and something to remember her.

When she walked into the living room, however, she stopped dead in her tracks. It wasn't Loki that was standing there, it was a guard that she hadn't seen before, and he eyed her with narrowed eyes.

"Are you the prince's mortal bedmaid?"

Layla frowned. "Um - yes, I am. Why?"

"Follow me."

Layla did the polar opposite. She took a step back. "Follow you? Where? And why?"

The guard looked rather annoyed. "It is not your place to ask questions, slave."

"But - I - did Prince Loki send you?"

Now he furrowed his brows. "No. King Thor has sent me. He expects you in his chambers."

Layla's heart skipped a beat and she took another step back. Her head felt dizzy and she suddenly had a hard time breathing.

"No, that can't - that can't be right -"

"Follow me now."

"No", Layla said with a hoarse voice, "No, Prince Loki has told me to wait here for him -"

The guard looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "And _King Thor_ has told me to bring you to him. Now follow me."

She shook her head. "No. No, the prince wouldn't approve of it - I know that - please, get him here!"

"You want the _king_ to come here for a _slave?"_

"No!" Layla exclaimed, her voice shrill, " _I want the prince to come here!_ He wouldn't allow this!"

The guard walked over to Layla and grabbed her upper arm. "Stop that now. If the king asks for your company, you will give it to him."

Layla fought to escape the guard's grip, but she didn't stand a chance against him and he dragged her towards the door.

"Let me go!" she screamed, "I belong to the prince, and nobody else!"

"Girl, you're a royal slave. If the king wants you, you belong to him."

Layla was still fighting him with everything she had, but compared to the guard, that wasn't much.

"Fuck you, let me go!"

The guard sighed and stood still for a moment before he turned around to look at her. "Listen, I'm not the enemy here, girl. I just do what I'm told. I will accompany you to the king's chambers now and there is nothing you can do against it. Now stop fighting, you'll only hurt yourself." He hesitated before a hint of sympathy crossed his face. "That is an advice that applies to the rest of the evening, too."

And without another word he moved on, dragging a screaming Layla along behind himself.

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
"Hello, girl. I've missed you."

Thor let his shameless gaze wander over Layla's body, and she tensed up even more. She had been standing at the door since the guard had shoved her into the room, trembling in fear of what was about to happen.

"Can't say the same", she snapped, and Thor frowned.

"My brother has still not succeeded in teaching you manners?"

When Layla didn't reply, he patted the couch that he was sitting on. "Come here."

She shook her head, and Thor sighed. "Don't make me drag you over here. Come here, now."

Swallowing hard, Layla approached him carefully before she sat down on the couch as far away from Thor a possible. She felt her heart clench up. She had been here before, in this exact same spot, and it had not ended well.

"Well, girl, here's the thing", Thor said, "The Warriors Three have been very successful lately, and I believe that a reward for their work is long overdue. I will go and meet them in the hall in a few minutes, and when we return, I expect you to entertain us."

Layla stared into Thor's face. She couldn't even think. Her mind was completely empty.

"And that is _exactly_ the expression I don't want to see tonight", Thor continued with a frown, "My friends appreciate a willing woman that enjoys what she's doing. Will you be that woman tonight?"

Still staring at Thor, Layla opened her mouth, but she couldn't form a single word. She wasn't sure if she'd understood what Thor had just said - in her mind, the words _'entertain us'_ were still echoing.

"I'll rephrase that", Thor corrected himself when he looked into Layla's blank face, " _You will be that woman tonight_. You will not fight us, you will not cry, you will not look at us with this pathetic expression on your face. Instead, you will enjoy everything we will do to you. You will smile, you will moan, you will beg for more. Do you understand?"

Layla's eyes were wide. Her heart was beating so loud that she wondered briefly if Thor could hear it, too.

"You c-can't -" she stuttered, her voice hoarse, "You can't expect me to -"

"I can. And I do. And if you disobey, you'll be taken anyways and sent into the prison afterwards."

"B-but -"

"No buts, girl."

Layla swallowed. "But the prince - Prince Loki -"

Thor shrugged. "He didn't object to this."

Until this moment, Layla's heart had been beating loud and unnaturally fast. But at Thor's last words, it skipped a few beats and for a moment, if felt like it struggled to resume its work.

"He - he didn't - object?" Layla repeated, her voice not more than a whisper, and then she shook her head frantically, "No - no, I don't - I don't believe you!"

Thor laughed. "Why should I lie to you?"

"Does - does he _know_ about this?" she asked with a strained voice, and again, Thor laughed.

"Of course he does. It was his idea."

Layla paled. "No. That's - no."

Thor shrugged. "I think you've become a bit too fond of him, girl. He usually gets rid of his slaves at this point, but you're lucky - he still enjoys fucking you too much to kill you yet, so he thought he'd give you a second chance." He leered at her. "That's why he wants me to remind you of who and what you are to him - a whore, girl, and nothing more."

He could have stabbed a knife into her chest - Layla doubted that it could have hurt her more than his words. _He's lying,_ she thought, _he must be lying_ -

Her despair was painfully obvious, and Thor smirked triumphantly. When Layla's frightened gaze met his, he gave her a false smile.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. My brother asked me not to injure you too severely so he can still take you to the Sævar lake tomorrow. I think he plans to fuck you into oblivion there."

 _He's lying_ , Layla thought frantically, _he's lying, he's lying_ \- but then a painful realization crossed her confused mind - Loki had said that the only person he'd told about their trip to the lake was his mother because he didn't want anybody to disturb them there; so why did Thor know about it? And how could he possibly know that Layla had 'become too fond of Loki' if not because Loki had told him about it himself?

Layla closed her eyes for a second, overcome by emotions. _No,_ she thought, _it can't be. He must be lying, there's no way he's telling the truth -_

"Well, let's get this started!" Thor said gleefully, "I'm going to get my friends now, and you might want to wash your face and get rid of all the tearstains."

Layla hadn't even realized that she had started crying.

"Please", she whispered, "Please don't do this."

Thor shot her an angry glare. "Enough of this. Pull yourself together, I mean it. You don't want to disappoint me, you would regret it."

Layla shook her head. "But -"

"No buts. You will entertain my friends, and you will enjoy doing so." He eyed her for a moment before he added, "Otherwise, I can always send a few guards to Midgard and bring your little sister here to take your place."

Layla stared at him with a look of sheer terror on her face. "How do you know -" she whispered and her voice broke.

Again, Thor shrugged. "My brother told me about her."

For a split second, Layla thought that she was going to faint. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't talk, and everything around her became blurred. _Loki had told Thor about her sister._ If she had needed a conclusive proof to finally realize that Loki truly didn't give a damn about her - here it was. Ophelia had been right - he had been playing with her, he had manipulated her mind, he had never cared the slightest bit about her.

She was nothing to Loki, nobody. A whore, a toy, a warm body to use as he pleased, but nothing more. And she had been a fool for thinking otherwise.

"So what do you think?" Thor said, "Are you going to obey or should I send my guards to fetch your sister?"

"No", Layla exclaimed, her voice shrill, "No, please, _she's just a child!_ Please don't do that, I'll obey, I promise!"

Thor smirked. He had, of course, no intention to send anyone to Layla's sister; he had no idea where her family lived, after all - he hadn't even known that she _had_ a sister before he'd been eavesdropping on his mother's and brother's conversation this afternoon. Oh, this conversation had _truly_ been enlightening - not only had he learned a few interesting things about Layla and her relationship with Loki, he had also finally heard what he had suspected for quite a while now - his mother had lost her faith in him. His own mother doubted his ability to be king. He'd known that his brother wasn't loyal to him anymore; he'd been jealous of his position from the very beginning, but to hear his mother defame him had cut him deep. It had taken him a while to process what he had heard them say, but then he had started to bristle with rage. It was more than obvious that it had been Loki who had turned their mother against him, and Thor had decided that he'd finally had enough of his little brother's missteps. Loki had played him for a fool one too many times - and after everything that Thor had heard today, this mortal was a fail-safe method to hit his brother where it would hurt the most.

Fortunately, his mother and brother had also unwillingly brought something else to his notice - that Loki would spend his evening on Midgard, talking to his little whore's family. With Loki on Midgard and his mother still sitting at his father's bed, this evening was a golden opportunity for Thor to finally show his brother that he would regret it bitterly if he ever got in his king's way again.

"Please", Layla repeated when Thor didn't react, "I swear, I won't fight you! I'll let you do whatever you want to, but keep my sister out of this!"

"There we go", Thor said with a triumphant smile on his face. He'd figured that taking her sister would make a nice and effective threat. "We have a deal then. Don't forget it."

"I won't", Layla sobbed out, "I promise!"

Thor grinned from ear to ear as he rose from the couch and reached out to touch Layla's cheek. She flinched instinctively, but immediately forced herself to stay where she was. Thor nodded, an expression of utter satisfaction on his face.

"Girl, I'm already hard. This evening is going to be such fun."

 

 


	30. Please Don't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I've got more than 600 kudos for this story now and I'm completely stunned! Thank you so, so much for reading, leaving kudos and commenting - that really means a lot to me!  
> I know that there is a lot of angst and anguish in this story, and this chapter is especially dark - so much so that I've actually been hesitant to post it. But the things that happen here are going to be of importance for the development of the story, so I've decided to keep it the way it is.  
> I do have a plan and there's a reason for everything I do, I promise!  
> But still, there's going to be quite graphic descriptions of both emotional and physical pain in this chapter, so please read this carefully if you're not comfortable with that.

Layla's gaze still lingered on the door that Thor had slammed shut behind him when he had left.

She wanted nothing more than to let herself fall apart, to cry and scream and lose herself inside of her misery, but she knew that she couldn't afford the luxury of breaking down. She had to pull herself together, she had to play the role Thor wanted her to play and even though she didn't know how on Earth she was supposed to get through this, she _had_ to find a way to satisfy every single one of Thor's wishes with a convincing smile on her face - there was no other way; she'd rather die than allow the only alternative he'd given her to happen.

At the thought of what he had threatened her with, a heavy nausea came over her and she barely made it to the bathroom before she threw up violently. She was shaking, her eyes were burning from her tears and somehow her body couldn't seem to decide whether it was too hot or too cold.

When she got up again and glanced into the mirror, she cringed. She looked terrible. Her face was pale and tear-stained and it was covered in cold sweat, and her hair didn't look any better, either. Probably not what Thor wanted his friends to see when they came into his chambers.

A choked sob escaped her throat and Layla clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails dug into her palms.

_You can't cry now. Don't you dare to cry._

She quickly splashed a few handfuls of cold water against her hot face to wash away her sweat and tears and rubbed a towel over her skin until it looked rosy and bright again, then combed through her tousled hair with her fingers. With a last look into the mirror she left the bathroom again. She couldn't stand the sight of the frightened, frantic expression on her face anymore, and there was nothing else she could do to pretty herself up, anyways.

When she realized how weak her knees had become, she sat down on the couch again. She just couldn't bring herself to sit on the bed - they'd drag her into it soon enough.

Another sob threatened to break out of her, and Layla took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying hard to swallow her tears. It didn't help. All she could see in front of her were the faces of her parents and her little sister Sophia, and she didn't even notice the pained whimper that escaped her when she thought of Thor's threat again.

Over the last months, Layla had given her best not to think about her parents or Sophia too much - it had not only hurt, it had been _tormenting,_ and at some point she had found herself incapable to stand the pain anymore and she had decided to shut away every memory she had of her family. But now that this bastard of a king had threatened to bring Sophia here, it felt as if he had broken down the wall that she had carefully built around her emotions. She couldn't stop thinking about them anymore.

Her stomach churned when she thought of her mom and her dad, and she suddenly wondered if they were still looking for her. The warriors that had attacked their town had looked like they had come straight out of some medieval fantasy novel, but Layla doubted that her family had realized that they had indeed come from another world. It had taken her a while to process that herself. Did they think that she had been kidnapped by humans? Were they still hoping for her to return? Was the police still looking for her and the others that had been taken? Did anybody on Earth have any clue at all about what had happened on that day?

What about Sophia? How did she cope with Layla's disappearing? They had been exceptionally close, and Layla wondered how she fared without her. Who was reading to her now when she couldn't sleep? Did her mom feel well enough to do it?

Layla felt fresh tears stinging in her eyes, and she blinked a few times to keep them from falling. She had used to find comfort in the thought that at least her parents and her sister hadn't been taken from home. But if Thor was going to bring Sophia here - she was just a little kid, she would never be able to survive this. Layla took a deep breath. She would do anything to make sure that Thor would never carry out his threat. Anything.

For a brief moment, Layla saw Loki's face in front of her.

 _A whore, girl, and nothing more,_ she heard Thor say, and the pain inside of her chest became unbearable and literally took her breath away. She could feel another wave of tears burning in her eyes, all too eager to run down her face, and she clenched her fists so violently that her fingernails left tiny, bloody crescents inside of her palms.

There was no time to think of Loki now. There was no time to grieve, no time to suffer from her heartbreak, no time to feel betrayed and abandoned and lost. She had to pull herself together for what was about to come. She had to protect Sophia from this monster.

When the door to Thor's chambers flung open a few minutes later, Layla was tied up in knots. Her stomach and her head hurt terribly, her whole body was trembling and she found herself incapable to breathe calmly. She was still sitting on the couch, completely motionless bar her trembling, and she stared at the four giants approaching her with obvious panic written on her face.

 _That is exactly the expression I don't want to see tonight,_ she heard Thor's voice echo inside of her head - and after taking a deep breath, she gave her best to plant a smile on her face.

"There she is", Thor grinned, and the three men started to cheer. "Well, get up girl, it's bedtime!"

While the men roared with laughter, Layla rose from the couch without hesitation and stalked over to the bed. She felt like a lamb that walked straight into the slaughterhouse.

The three warriors sat down on the huge bed while Thor leaned against the wall across from it, his muscular arms folded in front of his chest, watching the scene with a grin. Layla hesitated when she reached the bed and bit her lip nervously.

"You're shy, huh? Is this your first time with more than one man?" the bearded one asked her, almost sympathetically, and Layla looked at him and nodded silently. "Don't worry, you'll like it", he smirked, "All women like it."

Layla's gaze flickered at Thor who shot her a warning glare.

"Yes, mylord", she said quietly, and the bearded man chuckled.

"No need for that. We're going to be much too close for sticking to etiquette around each other. Call me Volstagg. The blonde guy is Fandral and this is Hogunn."

Layla looked at the other two men who smiled at her.

"Well, then", Volstagg said, "You're overdressed, girl!"

Layla's throat tightened and she took a deep breath.

_Pull yourself together. You can do this. You have to do this. Think of Sophia._

She quickly took her dress off and only allowed herself a split second of hesitation before she pulled down her panties, too. Feeling terribly vulnerable and exposed without any layers of fabric between her and these men, she stared at the floor with shame burning on her face.

_You have to look at them. Smile at them. Give them a flirty little smirk._

But she couldn't. She couldn't look at the leering faces in front of her, she couldn't meet the eyes of the men who were about to rape her and she could definitely not bear Thor's intense gaze that warned her about what he'd be doing if she didn't act as if she was enjoying this. She'd do her best, she wouldn't fight them, there was no way she'd risk Sophia's life, but she just couldn't look at them while trying to get through this.

"Come here", Volstagg said, his voice hoarse, and when Layla looked up, she realized with shock that the three men were already naked. And they were _enormous_.

Fandral saw her gaze and chuckled. "No need to be afraid, girl. We'll get you ready for us."

Layla swallowed. Her throat was awfully dry. When she met Volstagg's expecting look for a second, she held her breath and took a step towards him, avoiding his gaze again. She had barely reached him when he already cupped her breasts with his rough hands, kneading them eagerly, and Layla pressed her eyelids shut.

"My, you're so soft", Volstagg growled appreciatingly, and Layla could feel another pair of hands wander over her breasts.

"Lie down on the bed, girl", the blonde one, Fandral, ordered.

Layla gritted her teeth and crawled on the bed to lie down. She felt even more exposed, lying on her back like this, and she crossed her arms over her chest to hide her breasts. She also instinctively pressed her thighs together.

"Relax, little one", she heard Volstagg say, and the phrase sent a pang of painful memories through her.

 _Loki_ , she thought, close to bursting into tears, _You promised to not let this happen, you promised that you cared about me, you promised that nobody would ever hurt me again. Where are you now? How could you do this to me?_

She had been thinking that Thor was the monster in this place, but she had been wrong. Loki's betrayal, the cruel way he had manipulated her into trusting and, even worse, loving him, hurt worse than anything that Thor could ever do to her.

Two calloused hands pulled her arms away from her breasts and started caressing them, and Layla bit on her lip when two more hands tried to spread her tensed legs. With a twinge of panic she realized that the three men were all touching her now - she could feel two hands on her breasts, two more hands on her thighs and another pair on her waist and hips. It was only a matter of time until they would touch her now, _really_ touch her, hurt her - and Thor had not joined them yet, either.

She kept her eyes shut tightly so they would not betray her true feelings, but when her body started to tremble in fear again, she couldn't keep it under control. But the men misinterpreted her trembling, anyways.

"Look how excited she is", Fandral smirked, and Volstagg chuckled.

And then it happened. A rough hand cupped her naked womanhood and slid a finger through her folds. Layla sunk her teeth deep into her lip to keep herself from crying out, and she felt a strange feeling of satisfaction when she could taste blood.

_At least I'm the one to draw first blood tonight._

She felt something bigger, thicker and harder on her thigh now, but then Volstagg said, "She's not wet enough yet, be patient, Hogunn!"

A wave of relief flowed through her. This Volstagg didn't seem to be so bad, actually.

Somebody rubbed over her clit in slow, almost gentle circles, and while Layla cringed at the unwanted physical contact, she also felt a bit of gratitude - at least they were preparing her properly; it might not be that painful, then.

Someone else took one of her hands and pushed them against something hard and thick, and Layla bit into her stinging lip again when she grabbed the stranger's cock and slid up and down around it whilst giving her best not to think about what she was doing.

And then one of them pushed a finger deep inside of her clenched up core.

And that was it.

Layla didn't know if it was the burning humiliation of the whole situation or the sudden stinging pain inside of her that made her lose control, but suddenly, she could feel hot tears streaming down her face and she struggled hard to not sob out loudly. But she couldn't hold back the words that had been caught inside of her tight throat for the last hour and that finally, though unwillingly, burst out of her.

_"Please don't -"_

It had been merely a whisper and barely audible, but every single hand on her body halted immediately.

"Did you say 'don't'?" she heard Volstagg's voice, and she sobbed out when she realized that she had actually said the words out loud. Thor would be furious now, and he'd bring Sophia here, the sweet, innocent, little Sophia -

"Girl, are you crying?" the same voice said quietly, and it sounded startled.

When she didn't answer, she could feel him move over her, and she clenched her fists and bit her lip again in anticipation of the pain that was about to come. She winced when she felt a hand on her wet cheek instead.

"Look at me, girl", Volstagg said gently, but Layla couldn't.

She wanted to, she _tried_ to, but she didn't seem to have any control over her body anymore.

"Girl - Thor, what's the girl's name? - You don't _know?_ What the - girl, what is your name?"

Layla opened her mouth, but no sound came out of it. She took a deep, trembling breath and, her voice choking, whispered, "My name is Layla".

"Layla. That is a beautiful name. Come on, Layla, look at me."

Layla opened her eyes slowly, reluctantly, and looked into kind brown eyes. Volstagg leaned over her, but he didn't seem to want to take her at the moment.

"Why are you crying, Layla?"

She could almost feel Thor's look burning into her skin. She glanced at him, and indeed, he looked furious.

 _Sophia,_ she thought desperately, _I can't let him take Sophia -_

"I'm so sorry", she said quickly, "I didn't mean to - please don't - don't be mad -"

Volstagg frowned and she heard the voice of the black-haired guy named Hogunn ask, "Thor, what's wrong with her?"

"She's just a bit shy", Thor replied, "She's not very experienced yet."

"Yes", Layla agreed, cursing herself for her weak, shaky voice, "I'm just - I'm fine, I'm just -"

Volstagg eyed her thoughtfully. "You do want this, don't you?" he said eventually.

Layla's eyes widened and she glanced at Thor who was watching her angrily. "Y-yes, of course", she said and forced a smile on her face.

Fandral sat down at her side now and she looked up at him. He eyed her suspiciously. "You don't look like that", he stated.

Layla swallowed. Her acting skills have never been the best.

"I - you can just - just do it, I will not fight you, I will not disobey, I promise. Just go ahead -", she stammered, and both Volstagg's and Fandral's eyes widened.

Fandral turned around and looked at Thor. "You said she wanted this, Thor. I'm not going to _rape_ a girl -"

"It's not rape, she's a _bedmaid_ ", Thor growled, clearly annoyed.

Fandral huffed. "She doesn't look like she's a bedmaid by her own choice."

Volstagg was still watching her closely. "Why are you here if you don't want this, Layla?"

"I - I'm here as a - as a reward for you", Layla murmured, and Volstagg shook his head.

When he glanced down at Layla's naked body, he pulled a blanket from the bed and covered her with it. Layla sat up slowly and wrapped herself up in the blanket, looking at Volstagg in disbelief. Why would he allow her to cover herself?

"Stop crying, Layla", he said gently, "Nothing's going to happen to you."

For a moment, Layla closed her eyes and she felt a wave of relief and gratitude flow through her. But then her eyes suddenly flew open again.

_Sophia._

"But - no, it's - I'm fine, I can do this -"

Volstagg shook his head. "There's no need for that. Why don't you get dressed?"

"What's the matter with you", Thor exclaimed before Layla could say another word, and she winced when she realized that he was standing next to the bed now, "You don't want her?"

Volstagg turned around and glared at him. "By the norns, look at her, Thor!"

Thor shrugged. "We can still have fun with her."

Fandral huffed. "Where exactly is the fun in taking a scared, crying girl against her will?"

Layla couldn't believe what they were saying. She had expected a lot of different cruelties from these men tonight, but never had she expected them to be kind to her. Without Thor's threats, she would have been endlessly grateful now.

She clenched her fists around the blanket. She had told them that they could do with her as they wished; but if they didn't want to, it wasn't her fault, was it? Thor couldn't punish her for that now, could he? She'd tried to obey, after all - he had to appreciate that, right?

Fandral seemed to sense her tension, even though he didn't know what the reason for it was. He lowered his head to look straight into her eyes and spoke soothingly, "Layla, is it? Don't look so scared, Layla. Everything's fine."

Layla stared at Fandral with teary eyes. This must be some kind of trick. Maybe they wanted to lull her into a false sense of security just to make it hurt even more when they were about to turn against her. But the three men looked at her with a genuine smile on their faces, and neither of them looked as if he planned to take her against her will.

_I can't believe that this is happening._

Obviously, Thor shared her astonishment. "You can't be serious!"

Fandral shook his head. " _You_ can't be serious, Thor! I know you like a little bit of - a challenge, but this -"

Thor snorted. "Her unwillingness didn't bother you at the coronation feast, did it?"

Fandral had the decency to look at the ground, slightly embarrassed, and Hogunn cleared his throat. "I thought she was acting all coy because of the crowd watching."

"Besides", Volstagg added, "there's a slight difference between watching you do something and doing it yourself."

"I can't believe you guys", Thor growled, "I thought we'd have some fun together -"

Hogunn sighed. "Can't you get us another one?"

"A _willing_ one", Fandral added, and Thor shrugged, clearly annoyed.

"If that's what you want. Fine." He shot Layla a glare. "You come with me."

Layla pulled the blanket tighter around her body and glanced at Volstagg, who winked at her, and she couldn't help but give him a small smile.

"Thank you", she whispered and rose from the bed. She quickly threw her dress on again, put the blanket onto the bed and followed Thor, who was standing in the door, watching her furiously. With a grateful smile she turned around and looked back at the Warriors Three.

"Have a nice evening", she said sheepishly, and the three men actually smiled at her. She was completely flabbergasted.

"You too, little Layla", Volstagg replied, and Layla's smile grew even wider.

When she reached Thor, however, she felt her relief vanish in a second. He was glaring at her, obviously not amused by both her disobedience and his friends' reaction to it, and he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her out of his room, slamming the door shut behind them. He yanked her through the hallway, neither talking nor looking at her, and after a moment, Layla cleared her throat.

"I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't - um, I - I really tried -"

Thor didn't react to her stammering.

"I didn't fight them, I - I - please, you're - you're not going to - to take my sister, are you?"

At this, Thor snorted. "I don't even know where your damn sister is. She's probably dead; slave raiders don't like to leave witnesses behind."

Layla's heart clenched up. "No, that - that can't - no!"

"Shut your mouth now, I'm sick of you", Thor roared, and Layla swallowed hard.

Silent tears were running down her face. That couldn't be. The queen had promised her to look for her family, and if she'd have found out that they were dead, she would have told her, right? On the other hand - she still hadn't told her anything at all - maybe the reason for her silence was -

 _No,_ Layla thought, _no, that can't be true. It can't. They're alive and they're fine and that Thor doesn't know where they are is a good thing,_ she decided stubbornly, _Because this way they're safe from him._

When they reached two guards, Thor threw Layla to their feet and she cried out, more in surprise than actual pain.

"You -", Thor snarled and pointed at the left guard, "- are going to bring a wanton whore into my chambers. And you -" now he pointed at the right guard, "- will get this slave into the dungeons. She needs to learn her place. Severe disobedience. Twice."

And without another look at Layla he turned around and marched back towards his chambers.

It took Layla a few seconds to progress what Thor had said, but then she stared at the guards fearfully. "What does that mean?"

The guard that was supposed to bring another poor girl into Thor's chambers left without a single word. The other one gave Layla a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, girl."

He reached out for her, and Layla took his hand reluctantly.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry? What is going to happen?"

She noticed that the guard was still holding her upper arm, guiding her into a new direction now as he said, "King Thor has just condemned you to a penalty for severe disobedience."

"But - but what does that mean?"

He let out a sigh. "You will be flogged."

Layla froze. "No!" Her voice was hoarse. "No, you can't let that happen! Please - I didn't _do_ anything!"

The guard shook his head. "It is not up to me. It's the king's decision."

Layla was in panic now. "Please, get Prince Loki here! He won't allow it!"

She wasn't even sure that this was the case anymore, but she remembered that Loki had already spared her the king's penalty once when she'd run away, and she just hoped that he'd at least care enough about her to not want her to be flogged.

She wasn't prepared for the guard's casual reply.

"The prince has left Asgard today."

Layla stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the guard with wide eyes. "He - has left?"

The guard nodded. "I have seen him leave this afternoon."

"But - but where is he?"

"The prince travels a lot. I don't know where he is right now."

Layla's heart was hammering. "And when will he return?"

The guard shrugged. "I don't know, it is not my business to know about the prince's whereabouts. But he is usually gone for a few months."

Layla felt as if somebody had just punched her into the stomach. He's left. He's gone. _He has left her alone,_ and he'll be away for months. He's made her believe that they would go on a holiday together - he's probably laughed himself silly when she'd actually started to get excited about it - and now he has left. He has left Asgard, and he has left _her_.

He probably wouldn't even notice let alone care if she was dead when he returned.

When the guard pushed her a bit to keep moving, she didn't resist anymore. She just let him walk her through the hallways, down the stairs and into the dungeons without saying another word. As they reached a large hall in the dungeons, two other guards approached them.

Layla didn't even look up. She stared at the grey stone floor, her mind completely blank. Numb. Empty.

"Severe disobedience", the guard that had brought her here said, and then, after a second, his voice a tad rueful, added, "Twice."

 

 

* * *

 

  
The two guards had led her into another room without saying a single word. The room had dark stone walls and was very small and completely empty; the only thing inside of it were two wall-mounted, rusty iron chains. It looked like a dungeon from some old period drama, and Layla would probably have laughed at how ridiculously clichéd the room looked like - if she hadn't been about to be flogged, that is.

She hadn't said a single word while the guards had been leading her here, and she didn't say or do anything to try to stop them when they started to undress her, either. She felt like a puppet on a string, without any control of both her movements and her entire life, and she noted with indifference that everything was by far easier that way. She was just so _tired_ of fighting. It had never helped her, anyways, and it would never help, either.

When one of the guards motioned her to step up to the wall with the chains and raise her hands, she followed his commands without hesitating. She didn't even flinch when he actually chained her wrists to the wall.

Looking down at herself, Layla noticed with mild surprise that she was trembling - it was cold down here, but not much colder than it usually was in Loki's chambers, and for a brief, blissful moment, Layla frowned and wondered why she was trembling so badly - before she remembered that she was about to be _fucking flogged_ and was probably shaking with fear.

 _I'm losing my mind,_ she thought apathetically, and a cold voice inside of her mind replied, _"Well, you've already lost everything else, too, so this shouldn't be much of a surprise."_

She shrugged at her own thought and the movement immediately dragged her back into the cold, painful reality of her situation. The chains were placed high at the wall; she had to stretch herself so she didn't have to stand on her tiptoes, and her arms and shoulders were already starting to ache. She wondered if the guards could adjust the chains somehow to make it more comfortable for her - and then she almost burst into hysterical laughter. They were about to _flog her_. She doubted that they cared about their victim being comfortable on its rack. And she doubted that she'd still care about her strained muscles in a few minutes, too, actually.

"Severe disobedience means fifteen lashes", one of the guards said without any emotion in his voice, "You have been condemned twice and will therefore receive thirty lashes. Understood?"

Layla wondered absent-mindedly what he'd do if she'd say 'No'.

"I will begin, then."

Her whole body tensed up and she instinctively held her breath. _This is going to be bad_ , she thought blankly, and for a moment, everything felt completely unreal to her. This couldn't be happening. She was just an average girl of 25 years that was still waiting for the first time she'd fall in love with someone, she lived in a small town and spent most of her days working on her parents' farm and taking care of her sister - how could she possibly have ended up here, in another world, chained to a stone wall and waiting for her first whiplash? This was ridiculous, all of it, this couldn't be real -

And then the guard hauled off, and a moment later, Layla was instantly reminded that, despite of how ridiculously implausible her formerly average life had become, this was real - very, very real.

For a split second, though, she didn't feel anything. She heard the whistling sound of the whip hustling through the air, followed by the gruesome sharp slapping noise when it hit her naked back, and for an irritating moment she wondered why it didn't hurt - it had certainly _sounded_ painful - and then, out of nowhere, the pain hit her full force. Though pain wasn't the right word for it. It was _excruciating_. Never before had Layla ever felt such maddening, vicious agony.

The strike had left her breathless for a moment, and as soon as she'd taken a sharp breath, a terrible, piercing scream that hurt her own ears broke out of somewhere deep inside of her body. She would have been frightened by the sound if she had been able to feel anything beside the pain.

And then the whip hit her again. And again. And again.

It took Layla only a few strikes to be howling with pain and sobbing uncontrollably. She wasn't standing on her feet anymore, her legs had become too weak to carry her weight, and so she was hanging down the stone wall, held upright only by the iron chains around her wrists. The stretching pain in her shoulders and arms worsened with every second, but she barely felt it - it was nothing compared to her back.

After another couple of lashes, Layla could suddenly feel something dribble down her legs. For a second she felt the urge to laugh out at the thought that she had actually peed herself - but then she looked down and realised that it was not pee, but blood that was running down her body.

Even the guard seemed surprised - Layla could have sworn that she'd heard him take a deep breath before he continued his work.

 _It has to stop eventually_ , she thought after another lash had cut through her body and mind, _It must be over at some point. Maybe the next one will be the last._

It became a mantra for her. After every lash, when the first wave of crushing pain had washed over her, there was a short moment where she could take in a deep breath and brace herself for the next strike, and in this very moment, right before the whip made her scream out in agony again, she told herself, _Maybe the next one will be the last._

At some point she lost count of the times she had already told herself the same lie over and over again. But as desperately as she clung to the thought of the last strike, she never felt it.

She had lost consciousness long before it hit her.

 

 

* * *

 

  
It wasn't until Layla fell to the stone ground after the guards had opened up her chains that she finally recovered her senses, though she immediately wished that she would have stayed unconscious. The pain was overwhelming, and she was already crying before she was even fully awake.

"You may go now."

Still weeping, Layla tried to look up at the guard that was kneeling beside her. She couldn't see him properly, everything around her was fuzzy and blurred, and for a long moment, the only thing that she could hear was her very own crying.

"Shall I accompany you to your chamber?" he asked her eventually, and Layla shook her head frantically before she could even think about the question she was answering. A second later she realized that she might very well not be able to walk, but she kept shaking her head, anyways. She didn't want anybody around her. She didn't know if she could bear it.

"Do you want to dress yourself?"

Again, Layla shook her head, this time whimpering unintentionally while doing so. Dressing herself? Pulling a _dress_ over the bloody shreds of her back? No way. She didn't give a damn about walking through the palace without clothes.

 _Let the bastards stare,_ she thought numbly, _I don't give a fuck anymore._

The guard touched her upper arm and pulled her up, and if Layla hadn't been so preoccupied with the overwhelming pain she was forced to endure, she would have been surprised at how careful he was with her.

She was standing on shaky legs, supporting herself on the wall, and took a few ragged breaths.

"Are you sure that you can walk on your own?" the guard asked her with a concerned frown, and Layla nodded silently.

With slow, short steps, still seeking support on the wall, she staggered out of the small room and through the hall that led to the stairs, taking a break every other minute when she couldn't go on. Climbing the stairs was an especially painful challenge that brought Layla to the edge of a complete breakdown, but somehow, she managed to reach the ground floor. When she stalked through the hallways, she realized that she didn't see any servants or guards around - it must already be late at night. She wondered how long she had been in the dungeons.

 _How lucky I am_ , she thought bitterly, _At least I'll be spared the staring audience now while I go to -_

She stopped dead in her tracks. Where was she about to go to, anyways? She couldn't bear the thought of being in Loki's chambers tonight, even if he wasn't around; she didn't think that she could take being surrounded by his belongings, his scent, everything that would remind her of him and his deep-seated betrayal.

But there was nowhere else for her to go, either. Maybe she should go to Ophelia, maybe to the healer's rooms, maybe even to the queen, but she just couldn't stand the thought of having to tell another person about what had happened tonight. She didn't think that she'd be able to talk about it. Actually, she was certain that she wouldn't even be able to endure anyone's company at all.

After a short moment, Layla turned around and slowly walked towards one of the exits that led to the gardens.

It felt like an eternity until she finally reached the stables, and she sobbed out in relief when she breathed in the familiar, soothing scent of hay and horses. She staggered through the smallest stable, panting desperately. When she finally reached Alamea's box, the horse neighed happily at her.

"Hey, sweetie", she whispered, "Can I come in?"

The horse snorted, and Layla opened the door and approached the horse that was watching her with patient brown eyes. When she had reached her, she wrapped her aching arms around her, clinging onto the big, warm body as if she was hanging on for dear life. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"I don't have anywhere to go, Alamea", she said, her voice trembling, "I'm all alone." She sobbed out. "You're all that I have, sweetie. Can I stay here?"

Alamea nuzzled her snout into Layla's hair, and Layla stroked over it gently.

"Thank you", she whispered, still sobbing, and when the horse slowly lay down, Layla slumped down, too.

Her entire body hurt terribly and there didn't seem to be a position that didn't torture her even more. Eventually, she lay down on her stomach, placed over Alamea's side. She closed her eyes and felt herself calm down at the soothing feeling of the horse's breathing beneath her. Alamea carefully pushed its snout against Layla's head, and the girl stroked over her fur with slow movements. She had never felt so exhausted in her life, and despite her pain, it didn't take her long to fall into a deep and surprisingly dreamless sleep while Alamea stayed awake, her head protectively hovering over Layla, ready to shelter her mortal friend from anybody that would dare to approach her.

 

 

 


	31. Who The Hell Are You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess that this chapter is totally not what you're waiting for, I had not planned it, either, it just kind of - happened. I hope you're still going to like it!

Loki rolled his eyes at the pathetic sight before him.

He didn't understand what anybody could possibly see in Midgard - it was a dull, boring and ugly place. With a hint of anger he thought of his mother who had talked him into travelling here. He could be in his chambers now, enjoying the enticing warmth of Layla's soft body - instead, he was standing in front of a farm inhabited by her midgardian family.

With a deep sigh, he approached the door and, after a second of hesitation, knocked.

He had dressed in midgardian attire - he looked ridiculous - and when a mortal woman opened the door, she greeted him with a polite smile on her face. Loki on the other hand frowned. There was no doubt that she was Layla's mother - she had the same brown, curly hair, only much shorter, the same brown eyes, the same kind expression on her face, and for a moment, Loki was at a loss for words.

The woman cleared her throat. "Um, can I help you?"

Loki straightened himself. "Am I right in assuming that you are Layla's mother?"

The mortal's polite expression instantly crumbled, and a look of distraught settled on her face instead. "Yes, yes, I am, you must be Mr. Rowland then? Please call me Diane, and thank you so much for coming, I - please, come in - would you like something to drink?"

Loki followed the woman through the living room, frowning. He wasn't sure who she thought he was, but maybe things would be easier if he just played along for now.

"No, thank you", he replied, "You have been expecting me?"

"Of course", Layla's mother said and motioned for him to sit down at the kitchen table. When she sat down herself, she looked at Loki and her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so grateful for your help - I can assure you that we're going to find a way to pay you, of course; my husband is already working overtime and I've taken a part-time-job, too - it's not so easy for me, as you know, but we will do anything we can to -"

"That will not be a problem", Loki said quietly, startled by the woman's speech.

At his words, the woman - Diane - seemed to be just as startled as he was.

"That is very - very generous - I promise that we will pay you for everything you do to find our girl -"

And then, to Loki's utter dismay, the woman burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry", she sobbed out, "But I'm just - we're -"

"Do not worry", Loki said, more than uncomfortable with the situation, "Your daughter is doing well."

But the mortal shook her head. "It's very nice of you to say that, but - the police has already told us that it was time to 'accept the inevitable', and even the FBI couldn't find anything, anything at all - as if Layla and the others had just vanished!" She laughed bitterly. " _Accept the inevitable_ \- that's easy for them to say - it's not their little girl that has been kidnapped, is it - I told that bastard of an officer that he can go and shove his acceptance up his -" Slapping her hand in front of her mouth, the woman fell silent.

"I'm sorry", she said eventually, but Loki couldn't stifle a smirk. Yes, she certainly was Layla's mother.

"My dear", he said quietly, "Would it ease your pain if I could assure you that your daughter is doing fine?"

Diane frowned. "What? I - yes, of course, that's - that's why we were looking for a private investigator - but -"

Loki took a deep breath. This was probably not going to be easy.

"I am not a private investigator", he said quietly, "I am Loki of Asgard. Your daughter has been taken by slave traders from a world far away from yours, and she has become a maid in the asgardian palace some time ago."

Diane stared at the stranger sitting across from her with a blank expression on her face. It took her a few seconds to process his words. "You're not Mr. Rowland."

"I am not."

Her bottom lip started to tremble, and she slowly rose from her chair. "Do you think that's funny?"

Loki raised his eyebrows. "I can assure you that I am very serious -"

"Who the hell are you?"

 _Mortals are so stupid_ , Loki thought, exhausted, _I have literally told her who I am a minute ago._

"I am Loki of Asgard", he repeated patiently, also rising from his chair to be at eye level with Diane, "And Layla lives in Asgard now, too."

He would never tell anyone about what happened next, he decided. He was a god, a warrior, he was well-known in all the nine realms for his swiftness and cleverness - but the woman took him by surprise, and he didn't even realize that she was about to slap him until he felt the impact of her hand on his cheek. It barely hurt him, of course, but he still didn't appreciate to be hit by a mortal. He opened his mouth to warn the woman to never raise his hand against him again, but she was faster than he was - again.

"Get out of my house!" she yelled, "Get out of here before I call the police!"

Loki rolled his eyes. "Listen, mortal -"

"Out!"

"You will listen to me now!"

Angry tears were running down Diane's cheeks, and she was panting heavily. She had been going through hell for almost a year now, she'd done everything she could to keep her family from falling apart while she herself was constantly on the verge of a mental breakdown ever since her eldest daughter had disappeared, and now this stranger dared to knock on her door and make fun of her family's misery.

"Layla is safe", Loki said loudly, seizing the opportunity of Diane's brief moment of speechlessness, "She is doing fine and she is at best health, but none of your mortal investigators will ever be able to find her, for she is not on this planet anymore."

When Diane raised her hand this time, Loki was expecting it and he caught it mid-air, giving his best not to hurt her.

"Let go of me and leave my house right now, you heartless monster!"

Loki's lips curled into a soft smile - Layla had once called him the very same thing.

Unfortunately, Diane didn't know the reason for his smile, and when she tried to free herself from the stranger's grip without any success and then saw him smile at her, she completely lost it. With a furious scream she spat into his face.

Loki let go of her arm in an instant. He touched his face with disbelief and then met Diane's eyes.

"You are lucky that I happen to like your daughter", he said slowly, flicking his wrist to wipe his face clean, "Under different circumstances, I would certainly not allow a mortal to spit at me without being punished severely. Howbeit, you will instantly cease your behaviour and listen to me, for I am not willing to tolerate any more impudences, even if they are clearly induced by your distress due to your daughter's disappearance."

Diane wasn't sure if it was the man's stern, intimidating look or his odd way of talking, but she suddenly felt the urge to bow her head and apologize to him.

 _That's ridiculous_ , she thought, _This guy is mad, and he's even younger than I am, for God's sake -_

But still, for some reason, she remained silent and listened to the man standing in front of her when he continued talking.

"I understand your confusion. As far as I know, your race does not believe in otherworldly beings. I do not wish to explain the extent of our universe to you, I assume that it would exceed your lifetime. The only reason I am here is because Layla has asked me to inform you of her wellbeing."

Diane gaped at him, and Loki sighed at the realization that she still didn't believe him. He flicked his wrist and his midgardian attire changed into his asgardian armour. As expected, the mortal woman gasped and jumped to her feet.

"Is this proof enough for you?" he asked nonchalantly, but Diane didn't answer him.

Her mouth opened and closed, but she didn't make a sound.

"I shall take that as a yes", Loki muttered and eyed the woman. "Now that this is out of the way - it is just as I have told you; your daughter lives at the palace as a royal - maid now." He doubted that Layla's mother would appreciate the term 'slave'.

"But - but this -" Diane stuttered, "This can't - no -"

"I shall let Layla know that you are doing fine. And you should cease your futile efforts to find her. You will not succeed, and it is obvious that it costs you a lot."

Loki nodded at the speechless woman and turned around, but Diane grabbed his arm.

"What the - you - you can't just leave now!"

He frowned. "I did what I came for."

"But -" Diane struggled to find words. Her mind didn't seem to be able to understand anything of what had just happened. "If you are telling me the truth - then why didn't you bring Layla home?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "As I have already told you, she is a royal maid now. She has been purchased by the royal family of Asgard."

"Purchased?" Diane exclaimed loudly, _"Purchased?"_

Loki sighed. "I am aware that slavery is not common on Mid- on your planet, but in Asgard, it is. But I can assure you that she is being treated with care and respect, and that she is doing very well."

That wasn't a lie, Loki thought, She _is_ being treated with care and respect - now. He'd decided that there was no reason to inform this woman about anything that had happened in the past.

"My daughter's a _slave?_ " Diane repeated, torn between rage and sheer incredulousness. When Loki nodded, she glared at him. "I want to see her right now!"

"I am afraid but that is not possible."

"Why?" Diane yelled, "Who are you to -" Her eyes widened. "Did _you_ buy her?"

"No", Loki lied smoothly, "I am merely the ambassador for her master."

"But if you can travel here, why can - why can't my little girl -" Her voice wavered, and Loki hoped that she wouldn't start crying again.

"I understand how difficult this must be for you", he said with all the patience and kindness he could muster, "But Layla will not be allowed to travel here. It is only through the generous kindness of her master that I myself have been allowed to come."

Diane had never been so deeply confused in her life. Scattered thoughts and hundreds of questions were running through her chaotic mind, making her head spin. In the end, she decided to pose the one and only question that mattered right now.

"Is Layla really okay?"

Loki felt something unfamiliar twitch in his chest at the pleading sound of this grown woman's voice. He took her hand. "She is. I promise."

He could see that Diane was fighting against a new wave of tears, but she took a deep breath and nodded.

"Will - will she ever - come back?"

Loki frowned. "I believe not."

Diane shook her head frantically. "But -"

Before she could finish her objection, a loud noise sounded through the house, and while Loki frowned in irritation, Diane picked up a little item that had been lying on the table and looked at Loki. "I'm sorry, that's my husband - I'll be right back."

She left the room and Loki could hear her starting to whisper words that he was obviously not meant to hear.

"Martin, you need to come here right now. No, I'm fine - she's fine, too - Martin, listen to me! There's a guy sitting in our kitchen and he says that he knows where Layla is - no, he says that - that she's on another _planet_ \- yes, I thought the same, but then he did something - _he changed his appearance_ , Martin! No - I swear, that was - _magic_ or something, I don't know! Damn it Martin, I can't calm down, there is a _goddamn wizard alien sitting in my kitchen and he says that my daughter is living on his planet now_ \- no, that's - Martin, I am _not_ having a breakdown! - No - I know what I've seen - Martin, call the police _right now_ , and the FBI, and Homeland Security, fuck it, call _everybody,_ they have to come here _right fucking now_ -"

Loki rolled his eyes and rose from his chair. He walked into the other room quietly.

" _I am not having a breakdown!_ " Diane was just hissing into this strange thing that seemed to be some kind of communication device, and she gasped when she saw Loki enter the room. She didn't have the time to say another word, though - Loki's sleeping spell hit her before she had the opportunity to do so, and Loki caught her in his arms as she slumped down. He placed her on the couch, ignoring the quiet voice that was coming from the device ( _"Hello? Diane? Diane?"_ ).

"Enough of this", Loki muttered, "I did what I have come here for. Time to go home."

He turned around to head for the door - and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a little girl standing in front of the exit. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, much unlike Layla and her mother, but her features still looked very familiar to Loki. Holding a little stuffed animal in her hands, she just stood in front of the door and eyed him curiously.

"Hello -?" he said with a frown, and the girl smiled.

"Hello!" she said, "I'm Sophia!"

Loki nodded. "Layla's sister."

The girl's eyes lit up. "She told you about me!"

"Yes, she did", Loki said, confused that the girl was talking to him.

"What is your name?"

Loki took a step towards her. "My name is Loki."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Loki."

Loki raised his eyebrows.

"I heard you talk to mom, about Layla", she admitted, looking slightly guilty for her eavesdropping. "Where's mom now?"

"She - she's asleep."

The girl nodded, obviously not surprised at all. "Oh, okay." Then she looked up at him. "Is Layla really at your home?"

"Yes."

She seemed to think about that for a while before she said thoughtfully, "My mom and dad said that Layla was kidnapped by evil men, but you don't look evil."

 _By the norns_ , Loki thought, _Am I to be spared nothing?_

"I did not - kidnap - Layla", he said impatiently, "I am just here to tell you and your parents that she is doing well."

"Can you bring Layla the next time you come here?"

Loki huffed. "I will not come here again."

"Can Layla come here alone, then?"

"No", Loki replied, irritated, "She cannot."

"Why?"

Sighing, Loki chose to answer with what would only be a half lie. "Her master would not allow it."

Sophia frowned. "Master, is that like, her boss?"

Loki chuckled. "Yes."

She seemed to accept this explanation without questioning it. "He doesn't sound nice. Why won't he let her come home?"

"She has a lot of work to do", Loki replied absent-mindedly and decided to just walk around her. It was time for him to leave. He had already passed the girl when he heard her voice again.

"Hey, Mr Loki?"

He turned around with a sigh.

"When Layla can't come here, can you bring her something? Can you give her this?"

The girl showed him her stuffed animal - a brown horse - and smiled at him hopefully.

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. "Why?"

Sophia crinkled her little nose. "Because it's my favourite and when I'm sad, it makes me feel better. Maybe Layla is sad sometimes, and then it can make her feel better, too."

Loki eyed the plush horse. "That is a horse."

The girl nodded eagerly. "Yes. It's called Alamea."

The god felt a soft smile curl on his lips. "That is a beautiful name."

"Yes, and it means treasure! I picked the name with Layla", Sophia told him proudly, "It's from a book that Layla reads to me when I can't sleep."

Loki looked at the girl and finally took the horse from her little hands. "I shall give it to her." His gaze wandered over the happy little face in front of him. "Who reads to you now when you can't sleep?"

Sophia looked at the ground. "I read to myself now. Mommy is always so tired because she's sick and Daddy works all the time."

"You are very little", Loki stated, "Why do you know how to read?"

The girl looked at him proudly. "Layla taught me." Then her expression became indignant. "And I am not little, I'm almost seven."

Loki suppressed a smirk. Then he frowned. "Your mother is sick?"

Sophia nodded sadly. "She was always sick and she was always very tired. But now she works in the mornings, too, and when she picks me up from school and we come home she always goes to sleep." Before Loki could say another word, Sophia started speaking again. "Are you really an alien?"

Loki's eyebrows rose as he looked at the child.

"You told mom that you come from another planet."

"I do", Loki confirmed, and Sophia eyed him warily.

"But you don't look like an alien."

With an amused grin, Loki crossed his arms. "How do aliens look like, then?"

Sophia thought about that for a moment. "They're green, I think. And have big eyes. But I've never seen an alien."

"Then you cannot tell if I look like one, can you?"

"No", the girl admitted, "So are you an alien?"

"I am", Loki confirmed, and this time, Sophia beamed.

"Can you show me your spaceship?"

"I do not have a spaceship", Loki replied with an amused smile.

"But how did you come here?"

Loki thought about his answer for a second. "With magic", he said eventually - that was certainly the easiest way to explain it.

Sophia's eyes widened. "Are you a wizard?" she whispered breathlessly, and again, Loki smirked at her.

"Yes, I assume that you could call it that."

"Like Harry Potter?"

Loki frowned. "Who?"

Sophia giggled. "You don't know Harry Potter? He's the best wizard in the world!" She eyed him up and down. "I can borrow you the book if you want to."

"I do not -" Loki started, but then hesitated. "Did Layla read this book to you, too?"

Sophia nodded, a bright smile on her face. "It's her favourite book!"

Humming, Loki glanced at the plush horse again. "I see. In that case, I would appreciate if you borrowed me your book."

Sophia nodded and then took him by surprise as she took his hand and urged him to follow her.

"Where are you going, little one?"

"I'm not little! I'm almost seven!"

"That is tiny."

She shot him a glare. "No, it's not! Babies are tiny, but I'm not a baby!"

Loki grinned. "I see. Big one, it is, then."

The girl nodded with a satisfied smile and then said, "I will give you the books, they are in Layla's room."

When she opened a wooden door and stepped inside of the room, Loki, still holding her little hand, followed her hesitantly and looked around. The room was bright and comfortably furnished, there were a lot of books and the walls were plastered with photographs from Layla with her family and strangers that Loki assumed to be her friends. The room was clean, but quite chaotic which gave the impression that Layla had just left the room a minute ago and would return any moment.

"Mommy doesn't want me to come in here", Sophia said sheepishly, "But I like to be here. It's like Layla's here, too."

Loki didn't reply. His gaze was still wandering over the many bookshelfs, the pictures on the walls and the bed that was unmade, as if Layla had just gotten out of it a moment ago.

Sophia had approached one of the bookshelves and pointed at it. "That's the Harry Potter books."

Loki followed her hand. "I thought it was just one book."

Sophia giggled, as if amused about Loki's ignorance. "No, silly, there's a lot more. You can take them all if you want." She frowned, and so did Loki when he realized that this little mortal child had just insulted him. "But how do you return them if you're not coming back?"

Loki smiled. "I will give them to Layla. I am sure she would appreciate having her favourite books with her."

The little girl beamed at him. "Yes, and can you bring her other things, too?"

Loki raised his eyebrows. "What would that be?"

Sophia clapped her hands and ran out of the room, leaving Loki alone. He shook his head lightly as he approached one of the walls that was covered with framed pictures. There was one that caught his attention, and he took it from the wall and eyed it carefully. There was Layla, standing next to her mother and a man that must be her father. She had her arms wrapped around her little sister, and they were all laughing heartily. With a sharp pang Loki realized that he had never seen Layla like this before. Of course he'd seen her smile and laugh in Asgard, too, but never had she looked so careless, so at ease. In Asgard, she always seemed to be so cautious and wary, she was always a little tense, suspicious - as if - well, as if she was constantly afraid that the person closest to her would turn against her and kill her, Loki thought, and a twinge of guilt came over him. He didn't have much time to ponder over it, though, for Sophia was just entering the room again, carrying a big pink bag with her. Loki raised his eyebrows.

"How many things do you want me to bring her?" he asked her slightly amused, but Sophia didn't listen to him.

She was running through the room, picking up a few items here and there until she stopped in front of Loki, looking at the picture he was still holding in his hands.

"Yes, that too!" she agreed and put the picture on top of the books that she had put into the bag. "You have to carry it now", she told him, "It's heavy. Are you strong?"

Loki grinned. "I am. But I do not need to carry it. Look -"

He waved his hand and the bag disappeared in a gleam of green light. Sophia gasped. With another gesture, it reappeared in the same place, and the girl clapped her hands again.

"That's so cool! You're really a wizard!" She frowned. "But where's your wand?"

Loki smirked. "I do not need a wand."

"Oh", the girl said, obviously disappointed, but she quickly recovered from her disillusionment and smiled at Loki. "Maybe you can put a spell on Layla's boss and make him give her a free day and she can come and visit us!"

Loki looked at her thoughtfully. "I will try that", he said eventually, "But her boss is very strict."

"But I really miss her", Sophia muttered before she looked Loki in the eyes. "Is she really in a palace? Like a princess?"

Loki chuckled. "Almost, yes. Her boss is the prince, actually."

Sophia's eyes widened. "She works for the prince? Is he beautiful?"

"He is indeed very beautiful."

The little girl stared at him in awe. "She must be really happy then", she mused. "Are they going to marry?"

"I - they - why -" Loki couldn't believe that a mortal child had actually managed to make him stutter. His face suddenly felt hot, and he cleared his throat. "I think I need to return to my home now, lit- big one."

Sophia pouted. "But can you come again? And bring Layla?"

"We will see", Loki muttered reluctantly. "For now, I will leave. It has been - interesting to meet you."

"You too! You're the first alien I've seen, and the first wizard, too!"

The god smirked. "Goodbye, big one."

Again, the girl smiled proudly at her nickname. Loki let the pink bag vanish again, which made the girl squeal with joy, and left the room, returning Sophia's eager waving with an exhausted sigh.

When he reached the front door, he hesitated before he turned around again and walked back into the room that Diane was still sleeping in. He leaned over her and touched her forehead, closing his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, he looked at the woman with a frown. So that's what Sophia had been talking about. She was indeed sick, very sick, and Loki could sense that she had already been suffering from her disease for several years. He knew that the midgardians called this particular disease cancer, and he also knew that, considering the bad state the mortal's body was in, it was highly unlikely that she'd ever recover from it again. Or that she'd live much longer than a year or maybe two, actually. He wondered if Layla knew about that or if her mother's sickness had worsened after she had been taken.

The communication device that was still lying on the floor suddenly made a sound, and Loki rolled his eyes. He had almost forgotten about Diane's conversation with her husband - he was probably already on his way home, undoubtedly accompanied by some midgardian guards, and while Loki wasn't exactly worried about an encounter with them, he wasn't really keen on it, either. It was time to go back home.

He turned around and hesitated for a moment before he glanced back at Diane. With a sigh, he walked back to the couch and knelt down next to her, closing his eyes and placing his hands over her head again. He concentrated for a long moment before he stood up and walked out of the room without another look back.

As he stepped into the flashing rainbow lights that would take him back to Asgard a few minutes later, he shook his head in disbelief. Really, there had to be something wrong with this family - these women had an odd effect on his mind; there was something about them that kindled the strangest behaviour inside of him. Be it Layla, who had somehow managed to make him actually care about her, or this little girl that he just hadn't been able to leave behind with a terminally ill mother; they both had evoked feelings inside of him that confused him deeply. He had never thought much of mortals and he certainly would never have considered healing a random, completely dispensable mortal woman before.

His mother had been right, Layla definitely had changed something inside of him, and it seemed that her little sister, even if it was in a completely different, innocent way, had the same effect on him. He found his inexplicable sudden compassion with mortals highly irritating.

When he finally arrived in Asgard and stepped out of the bifrost, he couldn't help but smirk at the thought of the face that the woman's doctor was about to make at her next appointment when he'd realize that his fatally ill patient's body was suddenly cancer-free and at best health. He wondered if this would be one of the occasions where the mortals decided to thank god for his mercy - they wouldn't be entirely wrong, this time.

As he started to walk towards the palace, he let out an exhausted sigh. It had been a long day; his travel to Midgard had taken much longer than he'd planned, and while it had been surprisingly interesting to meet Layla's mother and sister, he'd still have preferred to return sooner - it wasn't long until dawn now and he wouldn't be able to get much sleep before he'd leave the palace with Layla. Then again, he would have plenty of time to relax once they'd arrive at the Sævar Lake. He smiled at the thought. They would have a splendid time there.

Right now, he couldn't wait to lie down beside his beautiful Layla, wrap his arms around her soft, warm body and plant a kiss on her forehead before he would finally fall asleep.

 


	32. You're Not Here

The first thing that Loki did when he was back in his chambers was to go into the bathroom to finally rinse off the dirt that his body seemed to be covered in. By the norns, he even _smelled_ like Midgard. It was disgusting.

When he was cleaned and had put on light pants, he approached the door to the spare room.

His little mortal always lay down in the spare bed when he wasn't back in time in the evening, and in the beginning, he'd considered to tell her that he wouldn't mind if she used his bed even without him around - but he actually liked carrying her into his bed at night. He appreciated the feeling of being the one in control of his mortal's sleeping place, but even more important was the fact that he just loved to pick her up when she was sleeping - he loved how she snuggled into him in her sleep, how she buried her face in his chest and how she sighed when he planted soft kisses on her head while he was holding her in his arms.

He opened the door to the guest room with a smile - and suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

The bed was empty.

It took him a very confusing second to process what he was seeing, and when it finally clicked, when he finally understood that _Layla was not here_ , he felt a dangerously overwhelming mixture of fury and sadness rise inside of him.

_She had left him._

He had been foolish enough to let her go to the market, he had even given her gold so she could buy herself whatever she wanted, and she had run away from him. After the way he had allowed her to close up on him, after they had lived together almost like lovers would in the past few weeks, after he had told her that he cared about her - she had just left him.

Loki clenched his fists with such force that his knuckles were crunching.

She had faked her excitement over their trip to the lake, she had faked her false obedience, and she had probably faked the feelings she had told him to have for him, too. She had been lying to him the whole time, just to lure him into a trap of emotions, and he had been foolish enough to fall for her.

When he realized that this was actually what hurt him the most at this moment - the fact that he had truly started to care for someone who had done nothing but wait for a chance to leave him - he let out a hollow chuckle that echoed from the empty walls of the room. How could he have been so blind? So stupid? How could he have believed that this woman - a woman that he had raped and abused with delight - could have developed feelings for _him;_ the very monster that had used to torture her, that, even now, kept threatening her with her murder? He couldn't even blame her, really - she had simply done everything that she could to stay alive and get away from the person that she thought was going to kill her one day.

Rage suddenly flowed through his veins like venom, leaving nothing but coldness inside of him. Oh, he _could_ blame her, and he _would_. He would find her and he would punish her in the worst ways possible - he would punish her for disobeying him, for betraying him, for lying to him, for making him care for her and most importantly, for leaving him alone.

He turned around and left his chambers with fast and wide steps.

When he reached Ophelia's chambers a few minutes later, he didn't even bother to knock on the door. Since the head housemaid had been working here for as long as Loki could remember, he usually respected her enough to knock and wait for her answer when he went to see her, but tonight he simply lacked the patience.

The poor woman startled out of her sleep with a gasp when the door flung open.

"My prince, what -"

"My bedslave is gone."

Ophelia, wearing a hairnet, a light blue nightgown and a thick layer of white cream in her face, stared at him in utter confusion while she gave her best to wrap her blanket around her body.

"I don't understand -"

"My mortal!" Loki exclaimed, "She's run away! I've allowed her to visit the market today and she hasn't returned! You will bring me the maids that have accompanied her right now!"

Ophelia frowned. "She has not returned from the market?"

Loki shot her an angry glare that told her that she seriously needed to focus now, and she cleared her throat.

"I see, my prince, I will take care of it. If you would please leave for just a moment so I can get dressed?"

Her last words sounded unmistakeably reproachful, and as Loki looked at her, he finally realized that the elder woman was indeed in a partial state of dress.

"I will", he said shortly and stepped out of the room, adding "Hurry. I will await you in the staff room."

Ophelia was dressed (and freed of her hairnet and the cream in her face) in less than three minutes, but when she walked into the staff room, Loki still greeted her with "That took you long enough. Get me this maid now."

Ophelia nodded and hurried past him. She was deeply confused, not to mention worried about Layla's absence. She had seen Layla before she'd left for the market, after all, and she had not looked like a girl that was planning to run away. Besides, she had seen Shiari and Anjali when they had returned from their shopping trip - if Layla had run away, they would have told her. Something was out of order, and if there was one thing Ophelia couldn't stand, it was not knowing if everything was alright with one of her girls.

She rang the bell that would let Anjali know that she was expected in the staff room, and the girl arrived there very quickly, very tired and very annoyed.

"Ophelia, it's the middle of the night, what in the nine realms -"

When she saw Loki standing beside Ophelia, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Oh - I - good evening, Your Highness", she said, making a curtsy, and shot Ophelia a questioning look.

"You have gone to the market with my bedslave today", Loki said in a deep and threatening voice, and Anjali nodded in confusion. "Where is my bedslave now?"

Ophelia knew Anjali long enough to know that the girl was probably trying hard not to reply "In your bed, I guess", and she gave the girl a warning look. But, maybe because she was tired or because the sudden presence of the prince was terrifying enough to even shut the cheekiest girl's mouth, she didn't say anything, maybe for the first time in her life. Instead, she shook her head in confusion.

"The prince says that she never came back from the market", Ophelia explained, and Anjali frowned.

"Of course she did. We came back together."

Loki narrowed his eyes. _She must be lying,_ he thought, but there was a problem with this - he _knew_ that she wasn't lying.

"You came back together?" he repeated.

"Yes, we've been at the market for - I don't know, maybe three or four hours. We came back in the afternoon, and Layla went to your chambers, mylord, to put away her purchases and pack her bags."

"Where is she now?"

Anjali glanced at Ophelia. "I don't know, my prince, I haven't seen her since we have returned from the market. Really", she added when she could see Loki clenching his fists.

"Did she say anything to you about wanting to escape? Did she make any suspicious purchases?"

"No, no, not at all, mylord. She was looking forward to your - um - your travel."

Anjali suddenly frowned, and Loki watched her cautiously.

"What is it, slave?"

Anjali blushed. She had forgotten how easily the younger prince could see through others - his brother was much less attentive.

"I just wondered - it must almost be dawn, has she been missing the whole time?"

"I would not know, I have only returned just now to notice her absence."

Ophelia paced up and down. "Did she ever arrive in your chambers, then?"

Loki frowned. He hadn't paid much attention to the spare room beside the empty bed. Had there been a shopping bag? A travel bag?

"I do not know", he admitted.

Ophelia nodded. "Anjali, go to the prince's chambers and check Layla's room."

Anjali, forever grateful that she was released from the intimidating prince's presence, nodded and almost ran out of the staff room.

Ophelia hesitated before she said, "Did you talk to the guards yet?"

Loki shook his head thoughtfully. "As soon as the guards know about Layla's absence, my brother will know about it as well, which I would prefer to avoid."

Ophelia nodded, surprised that the prince, even though he thought that Layla had run away, still cared enough about her to not want her to suffer the king's punishment.

"Shiari - your parents' handmaid - should arrive here soon, too. Maybe she knows more."

She doubted it; she was certain that Shiari would have let her know if there had been anything wrong with Layla, but she didn't want to admit that she didn't have the slightest idea of where Layla could be.

When Anjali returned, she was panting.

"She has been in your chambers, mylord, I've found her purchases and her travel bag is packed, too -" She hesitated before she added, "Forgive me, my prince, but I don't think that she's run away, why should she pack her bag before running away without taking it with her?"

Loki would have loved to punish the maid for talking back, but he had to admit that she had a point.

"The two of you will search the entire palace for her, and you will not talk to anyone about this, or you will regret it."

Both women nodded and Ophelia's face suddenly lit up.

"The last time she has been missing, she has fallen asleep in some hidden niche in the library - I will start there. Anjali, you will find out if she's in the healer's rooms." She looked at Loki. "I am certain that we will find her, my prince."

"I do expect you to", Loki said coldly, and while Ophelia was used to the younger prince's manners, Anjali paled at the poorly hidden threat in his voice.

They both hurried out of the staff room, followed by Loki who, of course, didn't hurry but strutted through the hallway instead. He was irritated, and he did not like to be irritated.

When he had found both beds empty, he had been convinced that Layla had run away; but this young maid had been right - it didn't really make sense for Layla to return to his chambers and pack her bags before sneaking out of the palace to escape. But what else could possibly have happened to her?

He decided that he would search the palace gardens - maybe she had gone for a walk and something had happened to her there. He felt his stomach churn at the thought and quickened his walking.

When he had just stepped out of the door that led to the gardens, he almost bumped into his equerry Brios.

"Oh, Your Highness, I apologize - have you already been told? I wasn't sure what to do with her, that's why I came to speak to you -"

Loki eyed his equerry with a frown. "What are you talking about?"

Brios' eyes widened. "Oh, I thought you knew - um, Layla - I mean, your pleasure slave - she's in Alamea's box - I have come here early to prepare both horses just as you've told me, and I found her there -"

Loki gritted his teeth. "So she tried to steal the horse to escape?"

Brios frowned. "Well, I cannot say for sure, but - I doubt that she would have been able to ride -"

"Why would she not be able to ride?" Loki asked, startled, and Brios avoided his gaze.

"I do not question your orders, but she is in a quite bad condition. I tried to wake her up, but I think she is unconscious."

Loki stared at the man standing in front of him with an expression of utter confusion on his face. "Why - what do you mean, unconscious? What kind of condition?"

When it finally dawned on Brios that it had obviously not been Loki who had given the order to have Layla flogged, he took a deep breath.

"It seems that she has been flogged, my prince. She is - bleeding and -"

Loki had already started running and suddenly vanished in front of Brios' eyes, who blinked in confusion. It was rare that Loki teleported himself, especially outside of a battle.

As Brios hurried towards his stables again, he couldn't help but mutter quiet curses at the king who must have been the one responsible for Layla's punishment. It didn't happen very often that a slave was ordered to be flogged; it was a punishment reserved only for the worst kinds of disobedience and even then, Odin had rarely chosen to inflict it upon women. Brios had met Layla a few times before and he really couldn't imagine her to behave in any way that would deserve this cruel sentence.

If only Shiari would have come to work with him this morning; she probably would have known how to help the poor girl - Brios feared that the unpredictable, moody prince of Asgard might even worsen her situation right now.

  


* * *

 

  
Loki appeared in front of the stable and stormed into it without a second thought, looking for the right box with growing impatience and panic. He couldn't even think straight - _damn it, was this even the right stable?_ \- and he knew that he was close to completely losing his head out of blind panic - and then his gaze finally fell on Layla. For a split second, relief rushed through him - until he realized what it actually was that he was seeing.

Then, his eyes widened and his lips parted in shock.

Layla was naked, she was lying on the horse with her stomach down; one side of her face buried in the horse's fur, the other side hidden behind her straggly, dirty hair. Her back looked like it had been torn to shreds; it was covered in countless long and deep bloody wounds that sent painful pangs through Loki's body just by looking at them. Not only her back but her bottom and her legs, too, were covered in dried blood, though he couldn't see any injuries there - the blood must have run down her body during her flogging.

Loki took a deep breath. He felt sick.

Quietly, he opened the door to the box and stepped inside of it, glancing at the horse that snorted angrily at him. When he walked closer, she whickered and bared her teeth in an obvious warning.

Loki looked at her, raising his hands.

"I mean no harm", he said soothingly, "I want to help her. Will you allow me to take care of her?"

Again, the horse snorted loudly and Loki glanced at Layla, surprised to see that she didn't even stir. When he tried to step closer, Alamea snapped at him.

"Please", Loki said in a rather broken voice, " _Please_ let me take care of her. I will never hurt her again. I promise."

The horse looked at him and turned her head towards Layla, nuzzling into her hair, and Loki knelt down beside them.

"See, I do not hurt her", he said quietly.

Alamea didn't move. She kept her eyes glued to Loki, but at least didn't try to bite him again. Eventually, she made a soft, approving sound.

"Thank you", Loki whispered and reached out to touch Layla's head. "Layla?" He noticed that his voice was choked, and he cleared his throat before he spoke again. "Sweet one?"

Layla didn't move, and Loki brushed her tousled hair out of her face. Her cheeks were tear-stained and swollen, and he swallowed hard before he eyed her bloody back again.

"I am so, so sorry, min sváss", he whispered and leaned over her to plant a soft kiss on her head.

When he felt tears stinging in his eyes, he wiped them away furiously. There was no time for any emotional reactions right now - he had to take care of Layla, he had to carry her into his rooms and care for her injuries - and then, he thought with seething rage, then he would have to take care of his - no, he couldn't think of him right now. He had to focus.

He closed his eyes and carefully touched Layla's back with his hand. When he opened his eyes again, he didn't even notice the tear running down his cheek. Layla's wounds were deep and just as painful as they looked like, and she had felt excruciating pain before she had finally lost consciousness. The worst part, though, was the fact that these were indeed wounds from a royal penalty, just as he had expected, which meant that he would not be able to heal them. It was a powerful enchantment that had been evoked by one of his forefathers who'd wanted to ensure that slaves that had been punished would have to bear every consequence of their punishment without any possibility to magically ease their pain. Loki knew that there was no way to break such an old and strong spell; not even his mother would be able to override it.

But he would do all that he could for Layla. First of all, he had to get her out of this stable.

"Layla, darling", he said, a little louder this time, and ran his fingers through her hair, "I will take you to our chambers now."

She didn't react, and he stroked her cheek lovingly. "Sweet one, can you hear me?"

When she still didn't even stir in her sleep, he reached out to lift her. As soon as he moved her a bit, though, she let out a choked cry and the horse immediately snapped at him again. Loki let go of Layla and took a step back.

"Easy, girl, I am just trying to help her", Loki said quietly, but the horse eyed him suspiciously, her head hovering over Layla's.

After three more tries of approaching Layla again that all ended in Alamea trying to bite him, Loki sighed. He would just have to take the risk to be bitten. He quickly knelt down next to Layla and scooped her up as careful as he could so he would not touch her injuries, but Layla still yelped in her sleep and Loki stumbled backwards when the horse snapped at him again. The movement seemed to startle Layla from her sleep, and she suddenly began to flail, crying out in sheer terror.

"Darling, Layla, it's me, Loki! I've got you, calm down, you will hurt yourself!"

"No, no, no! Let me go!" she screamed, and Loki gave his best to keep her in his arms without hurting her.

"Layla, please, I will not hurt you!"

_"NO!"_

Layla howled with pain and fear, and Loki swallowed before he decided to let her down again. She was wriggling and flailing too much, she would tear her wounds open if he kept her in his arms against her will, and he had to calm her down before he could carry her into his chambers.

"I will let you down now", he said and carefully put her down onto her feet, holding her arms to secure her.

"Please, let go", she whimpered, trying to pull away from him.

"Love, please look at me. I will not hurt you. Do you hear me? I'm here to help you."

She was sobbing out heartbreakingly, her whole body trembling, her gaze darting through the stable without really seeing anything, and Loki wasn't sure that she had heard him. He wasn't sure that she even knew he was there, actually.

"Darling?" he said softly, and Layla shook her head frantically, whimpering when the movement caused her strained neck pain.

"Little one, please listen to me", Loki begged her, but she didn't reply.

"It hurts so bad", she suddenly wailed, and Loki felt his heart clench up.

"I know, my love", he whispered, "I will do the best I can to make it better - but please, come with me now, will you?"

Layla looked at him for the first time, but she closed her eyes again a second later.

"You're not here", she whimpered, "You're gone, you've left me, you're not here. _You're_ _not here_."

Loki shook his head in confusion. "Layla, it's me. Loki. I am here."

When she just kept crying with her eyes closed and her body shaking, Loki felt silent tears streaming down his face.

"Love, I will carry you into our rooms now."

He tried to pick her up again, but the very moment that Layla felt his hands on her body, she started to scream and slash around herself. Closing his eyes for a second, Loki eventually flicked his wrist, causing her to fall asleep and collapse into his arms in an instant.

"I apologize", he whispered, not comfortable with doing anything against her will at this moment, but he had to get her into a bed, he had to clean and treat her wounds and he couldn't risk carrying her when she was constantly trying to get away from him.

When he had laid her over his shoulder, wrapping up the lower half of her body with a blanket that he had conjured up, he looked at the horse again that still watched him warily.

"I will take care of her, do not worry. She will be fine", he murmured and turned around to step out of the barn.

Brios was already waiting for him, and he looked surprised when he saw Loki carrying Layla.

"My prince, is there anything I can do?" he asked, deeply concerned, and Loki nodded.

"Please let Ophelia know that I have found the girl. I will carry her into my chambers now and take care of everything."

"Of course. Please let me know if there is anything I - or maybe my wife - can do."

When Loki left the stables and walked through the palace gardens, Brios' thoughtful gaze followed him. He had arrived a while ago but had decided to stay outside to give the frightened girl a bit of privacy. He had heard every single word they had spoken, though, and while he felt deep sympathy with the girl, he was also completely astonished at the way the prince had talked to her. Brios had known Loki for centuries, but he had never heard him talk to another being like this before. He had also never seen tears in the god's eyes before, and he had certainly never heard him call a woman 'min sváss' before.

   


* * *

 

  
Loki put Layla onto his bed on her stomach and carefully picked off the leaves and straw that had become entangled in her hair. He dreaded to wake her up again, but it just didn't feel right to him to keep her asleep against her will. There have already been far too many things that had happened against her will ever since she had been taken from her home.

With a deep breath he sat down beside her and stroked over her head before he waved his hand.

"Layla?" he said softly, and this time, she stirred immediately. "Please do not move too much. It will certainly hurt. You are safe."

He watched her closely and was relieved when she finally opened her eyes. She didn't do anything else, she just looked at him, and he had to swallow down the lump in his throat before he continued to speak.

"I have carried you into our chambers. I will not hurt you. Do you understand?"

She nodded slightly and whimpered when even this little movement caused a wave of pain to roll over her.

Loki smiled and continued to stroke her head.

"My - my darling -" He took a deep breath. "I would like to clean you up and treat your injuries. Do you allow me to do that, my sweet?"

Layla stared at him.

 _I must still be dreaming,_ she thought, _Loki has left Asgard, so he can't be here; and he gave me to his brother, so why would he care about my injuries now, anyways?_

She moved her arms to get up and whimpered again. Her shoulders and her neck were so sore from the chains she had been hanging in that every movement hurt her, and her back - oh god, she preferred not to think about her back.

"Do not move, love. I will take care of you."

_Love? Dream Loki had the nerve to call her love?_

"You're not here", she croaked, "You've left Asgard. You're travelling. You're not here."

Loki frowned. "Layla, I have only been gone for a few hours. I am here, I promise. Here - do you feel me?"

He took Layla's hand and she squeezed it slightly.

"See", Loki smiled at her, "I am here."

Layla squeezed his hand with more force.

"You're really here?" she whispered, and when Loki nodded, she suddenly started to sob.

Loki watched her helplessly.

"You've promised!" Layla sobbed out, "You've given me a promise, and you didn't keep it!"

"What do you mean?" Loki asked, confused, and Layla closed her eyes.

"You've promised that your brother wouldn't hurt me!"

Loki gritted his teeth. Until now, he had given his best not to think too much about how Layla had been injured. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He would deal with his monstrous brother later.

"Layla, I am sorry", he whispered, "I didn't know - I was only away for a few hours to take care of something." He doubted that now was the right moment to tell her about her family. "I returned tonight but you have not been in our chambers when I came here."

The girl opened her eyes again and looked at him with fear written over her tear-stained face.

"I'm sorry", she said automatically.

Loki took her hand again.

"Don't be", he said softly, "Never be sorry again. Sweet one - do you allow me to take care of your injuries?"

Layla cringed so heavily that she whimpered at the pain the movement caused. Even if Loki had only been away for a few hours - she had not forgotten all the things that Thor had said to her. Loki had lied to her, he had allowed Thor to hurt her and he had told Thor about her family. Loki didn't care about her, Layla was no one to him, and she would never believe anything else again. She would not allow him to get close to her again, either, and she would certainly not allow him to pretend that he was giving a damn about her injuries.

"Layla?" Loki said softly, and when Layla didn't reply, he continued, "I cannot heal your wounds like I did before, and it will hurt a bit. But I will be careful and I promise that you will feel better when I am done."

"No", Layla said tonelessly, and Loki frowned.

"No?"

Trying to bite back her tears at the shocking pain, Layla slowly sat up, completely ignoring Loki's protests.

"You will not touch me ever again", Layla said, her voice shaking.

She didn't look at Loki, who stared at her as if she'd just slapped him.

"Love -"

 _"Don't call me that!"_ Layla suddenly screamed, "Don't call me that, ever again! You don't care about me, you never did, so don't call me love!"

Loki opened his mouth, taken aback by her sudden resentment. "I - Layla, you must know how much I care about you -"

At this, Layla burst into desperate tears. "Why are you doing this to me?" she sobbed, "Why can't you just leave me alone? Why do you want to make me believe that you care about me?"

Deeply confused, Loki took Layla's hands in his. "Layla, I _do_ care about you. I - you mean so much to me, you - why would you think that - Layla, what has happened? What has Thor done to you?"

But Layla wasn't even listening. She was sobbing uncontrollaby, whispering something to herself that Loki couldn't understand, and her whole body was shaking.

Loki felt his heart clench up at the sight. He carefully pulled the crying girl into an embrace and Layla hesitated for a brief second until she allowed herself to sink into it, pressing her face into his muscular chest.

The way he held her felt so good - she felt so safe, so protected, so _warm_ in his embrace, and he smelled so _wonderful_ \- if he could just hold her like this forever - she would just pretend that he wasn't the same man that had hurt her so many times before, that had betrayed her trust, that planned to kill her as soon as he'd have enough of her -

"Shh, love, everything will be alright, I promise", Loki whispered soothingly, stroking her hair, "I am here now - I will not let anything happen to you, ever again."

It was such a beautiful lie and Layla found it so tempting to just believe it that she pressed her eyelids shut tightly and nuzzled even closer to Loki, trying to gain every bit of comfort he offered her. For a few seconds, she clung to the comforting illusion Loki's embrace gave her, before she suddenly heard a familiar voice echo through her shattered mind.

_He wants me to remind you of who and what you are to him - a whore, girl, and nothing more._

The cruel words sent a sharp pang through Layla's chest, and suddenly, Loki's touch felt more like venom than balm on her skin. She recoiled from him and stared at him with wide open eyes.

"No", she gasped, "No, I - I won't let you do this anymore - I know the truth, I know what I am to you - you won't twist my mind again - I won't fall for your lies again!"

She'd shouted the last words and now she jumped to her feet, not even caring about her pain anymore - the only thing that mattered was that she had to get away from Loki and his web of comforting lies that he had caught her with.

His beautiful, flawless face was contorted with his obviously feigned concern, and when he stood up and approached her, opening his mouth to spin a new web to catch her with, Layla wheeled around and bolted out of the room.

"Layla, wait!" she heard Loki shout, and everything inside of her screamed at her to keep running, to run as fast as she could until she was safe - but she suddenly felt strangely light-headed, almost dizzy, and something was ringing inside of her head - everything seemed to whirl around her and -

 _If I fall on my back now, it's going to hurt like hell,_ Layla thought absent-mindedly, and then, she felt her knees become weak and everything turned black.

Before she could actually fall on her back, however, Loki had already caught her in midair. Cradling her carefully in his arms, he walked back to his bed and lay down with her, rocking her lifeless body back and forth, stroking her hair and humming to her soothingly.

He deserved her mistrust, he knew that very well. He had lied to her so many times, he had hurt and betrayed her and he had let her down over and over again ever since he had picked her up at this godforsaken slave market, and it truly came as no real surprise, especially not after the ordeal that she had gone through this night, that she had finally lost the last bit of trust that she'd still had in him.

But he would make up for everything that he had done to her, and he would do everything he could until he'd regain her trust, no matter how long it would take him.

He flicked his wrist and a book appeared in his hand.

With careful movements, he pulled Layla closer to make her lie down on his chest as comfortable as possible. Then, he opened the first page of the book and, his hand still stroking Layla's head soothingly, started to read to her in a soft, calm voice.

_"Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "min sváss" is old norse for "my beloved".  
> And in case anyone didn't recognize the last sentence: it's the first sentence of the first Harry Potter book that Loki reads to Layla :)


	33. Out Of Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this in my other story, too - I didn't have much free time lately, so I haven't been able to write as much as I would have liked to, and I haven't been able to reply to every comment yet, either. But I'm endlessly grateful for all your comments, they mean the world to me and they inspire and motivate me so much. So I just want to say thank you, and I'm sorry that it takes me a while to reply and to post new chapters at the moment.
> 
> I hope you like this chapter!

Loki had been reading to Layla for a while when he put the book aside and stood up, relieved that Layla didn't start from her sleep when he moved. She had stayed fast asleep while he'd been reading to her, making unconscious little sounds of discomfort every now and then, but she always calmed down quickly when Loki stroked her head or hummed to her.

There was nothing he would have loved more than to just keep her in his arms and continue reading to her, but there were two other and even more important things to do right now: first, he had to take care of her injuries before they became infected - and second, he had to kill his brother.

With a circular movement of his hands, Loki conjured up a bucket with warm water and a sponge before he knelt down next to Layla, eyeing her blood-stained body with deep sorrow. Beside the injuries on her back he could see that her muscles were painfully tense, even in her sleep, and he hoped that cleaning her body with warm water would help her to relax a bit.

He started brushing over her arms and neck, slowly and carefully, and again, he felt a rush of relief when she didn't wake from her sleep. Wiping down her shoulders with the warm, wet sponge, Loki could eventually sense a bit of the tension leave Layla's body. When he was done sponging off every inch of her backside, he let his hands wander over her, using his seidr to clean her hair and the parts of her body he couldn't reach with her lying on her stomach, and when she was finally cleaned from all the bloodstains and the dirt of the stables, he took a deep breath and focused on her injuries.

The furious gashes across her back looked even worse now in comparison to her clean, light skin, and Loki cursed at Thor, at his ancestors and at the cruel slave laws of Asgard when he, against his better judgment, tried to heal Layla's wounds and obviously failed miserably.

He took a cloth and two little bottles with colourful liquids out of his cupboard before he sat down on the bed again, soaking the cloth with the green potion.

When he carefully began cleaning Layla's injuries with the soaked cloth, she started to whimper in her sleep, but she still didn't wake up. While Loki was relieved that she wasn't awake to fully endure the burning sensation of the potion, the thought that the ordeal she has been through had left her so weak and exhausted still sent pangs of guilt through him.

_You've promised that your brother wouldn't hurt me._

Layla's choked voice reverberated in his mind, and he closed his eyes for a second.

He had been a fool for believing that Thor had given up on his plan to take Layla again; he should have known that she wasn't safe from him. It had also been outrageously stupid to believe that Thor wouldn't notice his excursion to Midgard and take advantage of his absence.

He wondered what exactly it was that Thor had done to Layla - what had happened between them that he had felt the need to punish her so severely? What other kinds of pain did she have to endure last night? Had he -

When his heart clenched up at the thought, Loki wondered briefly if he actually wanted to know.

Humming soothingly to Layla as she started to whimper again, he quickly finished cleaning her wounds and then started to apply the second, slightly thicker liquid to them. When her back was covered with the creamy blue potion, he stowed both bottles away and sat down next to Layla again, gently stroking her head and eyeing her thoughtfully.

Her sleep had deepened even more now; the healing ointments had a sedating effect on her body, and it wasn't likely that she was going to awake anytime soon. Loki felt reluctant about leaving her alone, anyways, but there was no other way - he had successfully carried out his first duty, and there was still one more waiting for him now.

Thor.

His brother had to suffer for what he'd done to Layla, and this time, Loki wouldn't restrain himself anymore. Loki was certain that their mother would finally intervene now, anyways - she had warned Thor, after all; she had told him that she would wake their father if he didn't behave more reasonably - and if Odin was about to snatch the crown off from Thor's big head, anyway, Loki didn't have any reason to be afraid of his brother's possible reaction to his vengeance anymore.

Clenching his fists, Loki let his gaze wander over Layla's back again. His barely contained anger was gnawing at his insides and his seidr, intensified by his craving for revenge, was already tingling in his fingertips. He knew that he wasn't able to hold it in much longer, and when his fury would finally break free, he certainly wanted to be around the one person who deserved to face the consequences of his outburst.

He stood up slowly, heading for the door while focusing on sealing it shut for any possible intruder. Nobody was going to enter or leave this room beside himself.

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
"Brother, there you are!"

Thor was sitting on the throne, casually chatting with one of his counselors, when Loki entered the hall. The latter narrowed his eyes.

"Do not call me brother", he hissed so wrathfully that the counselor next to Thor silently excused himself and quickly hurried towards the exit.

Thor grinned, his handsome face a mask of sheer innocence.

"What is it, little brother? Having a bad day?"

"A bad day?", Loki snarled, "What have you been thinking, Thor?"

He was slowly walking through the hall, still a few yards away from Thor, and his fists clenched up at the sight of the feigned irritation that was painted across the king's face.

"I fear that I cannot follow you."

"Cease your acting, Thor, we both know what I am talking about. You punished my slave."

Thor shrugged. "I did. She is a royal slave that deserved punishment, so I ordered her to be punished. Where is the problem?"

Loki growled, a sound that would have put any reasonable man on red alert, and indeed, the Einherjar that were guarding the hall entrances immediately straightened themselves, their eyes cautiously darting between their prince and their king. But Thor himself was way too lost in the triumph of his splendid victory over his little brother to realize the severity of the situation, and he chuckled coldly when he saw Loki's eyes flash with rage.

"I don't understand why you're so upset, brother. Is it because I have rendered the girl useless for a while or do you pout because I've made your slut spread your legs for me again?"

He had barely managed to finish the sentence when a vivid flash of green light hit him with such force that it hurled him from the throne and threw him against the wall behind it. There was a loud and disgusting cracking sound when his head hit the massive stone wall, and Loki found himself wondering if he had ever heard anything so deeply satisfying before.

The guards had all drawn their swords, but instead of approaching Loki, they just exchanged unsettled looks with each other, clearly unsure of how to handle this situation. Arguments between the brothers were a familiar sight inside of these halls, but they had never attacked each other outside of the training fields before - and even if Thor was king now, Loki was still a prince of Asgard, too, after all. Besides, he had been the very one who had trained most of the guards in this hall, and they were more than unwilling to turn against him now.

Loki had approached Thor quickly, but the god of thunder was already back on his feet when he reached him, and he threw himself onto his brother without giving it a second thought. He fell through Loki's illusion with a surprised shout, though, and found himself stumbling back to the ground in a matter of seconds.

The real Loki, still fuming with rage, couldn't deny that he enjoyed the sight, but it didn't satisfy his desire for revenge for more than a split second. The memories of his bleeding, sobbing girl kept flashing through his mind and his overwhelming urge to hurt the person responsible for her pain, to let him suffer the way she had suffered, to make him bleed and scream and squirm in anguish made him rush towards his brother again.

Thor, roaring with fury, his hand outstretched and obviously waiting for his beloved hammer to arrive, lunged at Loki, who raised his hand with a loud yell that echoed through the hall and slammed his fist straight into Thor's face. He could hear Thor's nose breaking beneath his fist, he could feel the warm blood splatter over his hand, and he relished Thor's raged scream and the searing pain of his own bruised knuckles. He wasn't much into fist fighting; he usually preferred more elegant ways of combat, but he had to admit that this felt _good_.

But he indulged in his victim's pain a second too long - Thor was anything but slow when it came to fighting, and he had rammed him before Loki had even realized that Thor was heading towards him. With a muffled gasp, Loki landed on his back a few yards away from his brother, who snarled triumphantly at him. Jumping back to his feet with a graceful movement, Loki sent another wave of green light into Thor's chest, who let out a painful gasp as he stumbled backwards.

Thor barely managed to steady himself again, glaring at Loki with obvious rage. He looked almost maniacal with the crimson blood smeared all over his wrathful face, but Loki noticed with satisfaction that there was a glimpse of worry in his eyes, too. When he darted at Loki again, the dark god chuckled coldly.

"What is wrong, Thor? Do you find it more challenging to fight an equal instead of a mortal girl?"

Thor snorted. "I see no equal standing before me, little brother."

They were circling each other, and Loki realized that the guards were still standing motionlessly in their places, eyeing their king and prince with uncertainty in their eyes, clearly unwilling to step in without a precise order to do so. If it had been Odin being attacked, they would have intervened immediately, and it filled Loki with naked spite to see them so hesitant to defend Thor from him.

"Do you know who I see standing before me?" Loki scoffed, "A little boy who plays king while the crown doesn't fit."

With an enormous roar, Thor lunged at Loki again, but he was stopped by a dazzling explosion of green and white that hit him straight in his chest and sent him flying across the hall, followed by two daggers that he managed to dodge by a hair's breadth. A second later, however, Loki was already attacking him again and this time, Thor wasn't quick enough. He shouted with both pain and surprise when the sharp blade of Loki's dagger pierced his side.

When he looked up at Loki, utter disbelief was written over his face.

"All of this for a mortal whore, brother?" he shouted and his eyes widened when Loki withdrew his bloody dagger and took another swipe at him.

Thor roared as he dodged the blade and grabbed his brother's throat to slam him into the stone ground, leaving Loki breathless for a moment.

"She is a _mortal_ , Loki! Have you forgotten who you are?"

Loki growled furiously, kicking at Thor who was struggling to keep his brother on the ground. He let out a gleeful laugh when his knee hit Thor's groin with full force, making the blonde god cry out in pain.

And then Thor was suddenly holding his hammer in his hand and he laughed triumphantly as he lunged out with it.

_"Enough."_

The voice was clear and calm, but it still echoed through the hall and made the brothers freeze in an instant. Thor, pressing a hand against the stab wound in his side, let go of Loki, who stood up slowly, brushing dirt from his tunic.

When Frigga reached them, they were both still trembling with rage, but neither of them made another move. Instead, the two brothers watched their mother, their heads bowed down, looking like little children that were waiting to be reprimanded for stealing cookies.

"What is going on here?" she asked, her gaze wandering over the bruised and, in Thor's case, bloody faces of her sons.

"Loki -" Thor said in the very same second that Loki said "Thor -"

"Stop", Frigga interrupted them as she noticed the growing amount of curious onlookers in the throne hall, "We shall discuss this in private. Now", she added sharply when Thor opened his mouth to object.

Without another word she turned around and left the hall, followed by her sons, who carefully avoided any eye contact with each other.

 

 

* * *

 

  

"The king and the prince, fighting each other like little children in front of their kingdom! I expect an explanation!"

Thor, his arms crossed, huffed at his mother. "Loki burst into the hall and started attacking me! I did nothing but defend myself!"

Loki snorted. "Tell mother the whole story, Thor. Tell her how you disregarded her demand to leave my bedmaid alone and left her on the brink of death instead."

Before Thor could reply to that, Frigga narrowed her eyes. "The mortal? What is wrong with her?"

Thor shrugged. "I have asked for her services, and she rejected me. So I had her flogged. I fail to see -"

"You had her flogged?" Frigga repeated, a look of disgust on her face.

"Yes. You two do realize that this is the official punishment for a slave's disobedience, right?"

Loki snapped. "I found her outside of the palace, alone, unconscious, covered in wounds and naked! She did not even let me touch her to carry her inside, she was crazed with pain, rambling and crying -"

Frigga placed a hand on Loki's arm, and he fell silent. She looked at Thor with a frown. "I told you to leave the girl alone, Thor."

"You did. But you also stated that you knew you were not in the position to give me an order, which makes it more of a - _request_ , right? A request I chose to deny, as is my right as king."

Thor and his mother locked eyes for a moment.

"Please go and seek out one of the healers now", she said eventually, her voice blank, "You are bleeding. I shall talk to you later."

Loki stared at his mother in disbelief. "Mother -"

"You will stay here with me, Loki."

Thor shook his head angrily. "I want him to be sent to the dungeons! He attacked his king, he injured his king, and I -"

He fell silent when Frigga glared at him. "Thor, you will go to the healer's rooms. Now. Loki, you will stay here with me. I will not repeat myself."

Shooting a hateful glare at Loki, Thor turned around and left Frigga's room without another word, heading to the healer's rooms. Frigga waited a few seconds until she turned around to face Loki.

"Son -"

"You will let him get away with this? Layla -"

Frigga shook her head. "No, I will not. Your brother is clearly out of control. I chose to make him leave so I could speak to your father alone. It is time for him to wake up."

Loki let out a relieved sigh and couldn't stifle a bitter grin when he realized the absurdity of it - he would never have expected himself to look so forward to seeing his father one day.

"How is the girl?" Frigga asked, concerned, and Loki's smile vanished.

"I have treated her injuries as best as I can, but for obvious reasons, I cannot heal them. She is in a great deal of pain, mother, and - that is not all." He hesitated. "Something is wrong. She seems - broken - she would not let me touch her, or talk to her, she accused me of being responsible for - for what Thor has done - and she - she is different."

Frigga took her son's hand. "As you said, she is in a great deal of pain. She cannot think clearly, she is confused and hurt. Let her heal, Loki, and give her time. Did you clean her wounds and use a skaða potion?"

Loki nodded.

"That is all you can do for now. Well, you could bring her to the healers, too -"

"No. She will stay with me."

Frigga smiled. "I thought so. Go back to her then, don't leave her alone in her condition. I will speak to your father now and then come to your chambers soon. I want to see the girl myself."

Loki frowned. "What about Thor?"

"He does not seem to care about what I have to say anymore", Frigga sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "I will let your father talk to him."

"What do you think he will do?"

"I am not sure. He will dethrone him, of course, and then decide whether a punishment would be appropriate -"

Loki raised his eyebrows. " _Whether it would be appropriate?_ He should be flogged himself! You should have seen Layla, mother, she -"

"Loki", Frigga said softly, "I understand how you feel, and I do share your indignation. Neither your father nor I would ever have decided lightly to inflict such a severe punishment to a mortal woman, especially with consideration of the wave of anger her last punishment has evoked in Asgard. But you need to understand that, technically, your brother has not broken the law. The king of Asgard does have the right to inflict punishments on royal slaves -"

Loki opened his mouth, fury written over his face, but Frigga silenced him with a look.

"Thor's behaviour has been unreasonable, cruel and reckless, and if I approved of it, I would not have decided to wake your father. But technically, his actions have been within our law."

"Then our law needs to change!" Loki snapped, and Frigga gave him a sad smile.

"That will be up to your father. I do encourage you to talk to him about this matter, though."

Loki huffed. "As if he would listen to me."

"It is worth a try, son."

Running his hands through his hair, Loki let out a deep sigh. "Let us take one step at a time, mother. Please go and wake father now. Shall I come with you?"

Frigga smiled, cupping her son's face. "You should go and look after your maid. Please stay in your chambers until I come and see you." She gave him a stern look. "No more murder attempts today, do you hear me?"

Loki couldn't help but chuckle. "I promise, mother."

 

 

* * *

 

 

While Frigga was heading to her and her husband's chambers, Loki returned to his own rooms. He was completely lost in his thoughts and it wasn't until he had already reached the door to his chambers that he finally noticed the two women standing in front of it. He raised his eyebrows.

"My apologies for disturbing you, Your Highness, we just wanted to look after Layla", Shiari said politely, and Anjali nodded nervously.

"She is recovering", Loki replied, "I am sure she would appreciate your visit, but not now. You may return in the afternoon."

"But -" Anjali started, and Shiari glared at her before she made a curtsy and smiled at Loki.

"Of course, Your Highness. Thank you very much."

Loki nodded shortly before he entered his chambers.

Layla was still asleep, lying on her stomach, her face turned towards the door, and Loki felt his stomach clench up painfully when he looked at her pale face. Even asleep her expression seemed to be tense and anxious, and Loki suddenly had a somewhat bitter taste in his mouth when he thought of how happy and carefree she had looked in the many pictures that had been plastered all over the walls of her bedroom on Midgard. It was hard to believe that the healthy looking girl with the bright smile on her face that he had seen in these pictures was the same one he was looking at now.

Layla made a quiet whimpering sound in her sleep and Loki approached his bed and sat down next to her, carefully brushing a strand of hair out of her face. She flinched at his touch, still fast asleep, and Loki stroked her head with slow, gentle caresses.

"Shh, darling", he whispered, "Everything is alright. Don't be afraid of me, please."

The sound of his voice seemed to calm Layla; her face had relaxed a bit and Loki could even hear her heartbeat slow down again. He brushed his fingers against her cheek, noticing with a frown how cold her skin was feeling. When he turned to stand up and get a warmer blanket to cover her with, Layla whimpered.

"What is wrong, love?" Loki asked, leaning towards her to stroke her head again, and he realized with surprise that the sleeping girl calmed down as soon as he was speaking to her and touching her again.

When he let go of her, she immediately let out an anxious whimpering sound again, and Loki had to swallow a painful lump in his suddenly very tight throat.

Before she'd lost consciousness Layla had made it very clear that she didn't want him to be close to her anymore, but deep down she seemed to disagree with her own words. Subconsciously she was obviously still longing for him to comfort her, still seeking solace from him, and the realization sent an unfamiliar, painfully tingling sensation through Loki's chest.

"Do not worry, I am here with you", he whispered softly.

He quickly conjured up a warm blanket to tuck her in, careful not to touch her wounds, used his seidr to change into comfortable clothes and then he lay down beside her and put his arms around her body. Gently letting his fingers run through her tousled hair, he cradled her against himself and smiled softly when Layla immediately calmed down again. When he planted a soft kiss on her head, she eventually let out a quiet, almost contented sigh instead of the miserable whimpers she had made before.

They have been lying side by side for a few more minutes of peace when Layla's breathing suddenly became uneven again - maybe because of a nightmare or because the pain that her body was in had prevailed over her mind again - and Loki pulled her flush against himself, planted a few soft kisses on her head and, when nothing he did would help to calm her down, started to quietly sing her a lullaby.

 

My love  
Close your eyes  
Be still  
  
No more harm shall befall you  
As long as I'm with you  
And never, my love  
Shall I leave your side  
  
My love  
Close your eyes  
Dream sweet  
  
If you allowed me to love you  
I will worship you wholly  
And never, my love  
Would I leave your side  
  
My love  
Close your eyes  
Sleep tight  
  
I will be here to hold you  
At day and at night  
And forever, my love  
Will I stay by your side.

 

 

 


	34. Blurred

When Layla woke up again, she gazed into nothingness for a moment, confused and disoriented. Why was she lying in a bed, she had fallen asleep in Alamea's stable, had she not? Why was she covered with a blanket? And what was this strange, herbal scent?

When she turned her head to the other side, she froze. Loki was lying beside her. He was fast asleep, his face turned into her direction, and his hand was holding hers tightly.

Swallowing hard, Layla let her eyes wander over his face. Now that she thought about it, she could dimly remember that he had picked her up in the stables. He must have sent her into his bed afterwards, even though she couldn't remember how she had gotten here. And hadn't he talked to her, too? She closed her eyes, trying hard to remember what he'd said to her, but everything was so blurred - hadn't he tried to soothe her somehow? He had _hugged_ her, hadn't he? But that couldn't be - why would he do that, after everything he had done to her before? Did he feel regret for what he'd made her endure? Or was she just making this up? Maybe she'd been dreaming?

She tried to pull her hand away from Loki's, but he clutched it even tighter in his sleep, and it took her a while to free herself from his firm grasp. When she finally managed to pull away from him, Layla stood up as slowly and carefully as she could, her eyes still glued to the sleeping god beside her. She was praying to whomever might listen that he would not wake up from her movements - she wasn't sure if she was able to look into his eyes right now.

But either somebody was actually listening to her prayers for once or she just happened to be lucky, because Loki didn't even stir in his sleep. Heaving a silent sigh of relief, Layla left the bed and slowly walked into the bathroom. She really, really needed to go to the toilet.

When she was finished, she cast a glance at the huge mirror hanging above the sink, and she bit into her lip. She looked miserable - pale skin, dark rings under red-rimmed, dull eyes and straw-like hair - but that didn't really bother her. Her back however... The pain had lessened by now - it had been excruciating before, and while it still hurt like hell, it had become bearable. It still felt as if it had been torn to bloody pieces, though, and Layla wasn't sure whether she even wanted to know what it looked like. After a minute of pondering, she finally turned around and looked back into the mirror.

 _What the -_  
  
She gaped at her own reflection for a moment, trying to process what it was that she was seeing, but she simply couldn't. Yes, her back was indeed torn to shreds - there were probably two dozens of long, bloody wounds that were covering her back, and the sight made her stomach churn - but apart from that, her back was - _blue_. Not bruised-blue, just - blue. As if somebody had painted her entire back with blue colour.

What the hell was this?

She suddenly remembered how Loki had asked her if she allowed him to take care of her injuries - she was pretty sure that she had said no to that, an answer he had obviously not approved of, but what the hell had he done to her? Had he decided to punish her by - by what, exactly; painting her back blue? An incredulous giggle was beginning to well up inside of her, but it got lost somewhere in the back of her throat.

That was ridiculous, even for Loki. There must be some reasonable explanation for this. Maybe it was a healing ointment - maybe this was why she smelled like a herb witch? Yes, that must be it. But no, that didn't make sense, either; if Loki had wanted to heal her, he could have just done so. He had already healed her injuries countless times before and it had never taken him more than a few seconds, nor had he ever needed any oddly colourful ointment for it.

Something was suddenly nagging at her mind, an indistinct memory that she believed to be meaningful, but it stubbornly refused to surface from the depths of her perturbed mind, and eventually, after a long moment of fighting with herself, she gave up on trying to take hold of it. What did her mom always say? _"If you can't remember it, it's probably nothing important, anyways."_

She turned away from the mirror and eyed the bathtub instead. God, how she longed for a shower or a bath - but both was probably not the best idea, considering her injuries.

With a deep sigh, she left the bathroom. She had only been out of bed for a few minutes, but she already felt exhausted and unsteady on her feet, and the wounds on her back were beginning to protest against her movements, too - the searing pain worsened by the minute, and all that she was longing for right now was to lie back down and drift off to the blissful escape of a heavy sleep.

When she headed towards the bed, however, she stopped dead in her tracks after the first two steps.

There was no way she would lie down beside Loki again.

She stared at the dark-haired man who was lying in the king sized bed, his hand still outstretched as if waiting for hers to return, and felt tears well up inside of her eyes. He looked as handsome as he always did with the smooth black hair that was framing his clear-cut, elegant face, and even though Layla gave her best to feel nothing but hate for this man, she couldn't help but reluctantly admire his divine beauty for a moment.

She took a step closer and frowned when she noticed a few small bruises and scratches on his handsome face - had _she_ done that? Had she fought him when he'd carried her back into his chambers? An odd mixture of grim satisfaction and a stinging feeling of guilt came over her at the thought that she might actually have hurt him, even though his injuries were nothing compared to hers.

And the physical injuries, she thought bitterly, were far from being the worst.

The worst was the painful way her heart clenched up at the thought of this cruel man, who, against all odds and against her own will, still meant so much to her. The worst was the effort it took her to blink back the tears at the sight of this heartless man, who, no matter how hard she tried to fight it, still made her crave his affection. The worst was the overwhelming grief that she had been feeling inside of her chest ever since she had finally come to realize that she'd never been more than a temporary whore to the man she was so desperately in love with.

She should have known this from the start, and a tiny part of her _had_ known it from the start, but admittedly, she had really given her best not to believe in the harsh truth of her reality and to create her very own dream world to escape into instead; a dream world where her tormentor was a tragically misunderstood prince charming in disguise who would eventually fall in love with his victim and somehow amend the wrong he had done to her.

To actually voice what she had talked herself into believing made Layla realize how ridiculously, pitifully naive she had been, and she had to stifle a bitter laugh. She had chosen to withdraw herself into a pretty little rainbow bubble, and now that it had burst, she had found herself in free fall.

And once she'd hit the ground, she would have nothing left, nothing at all.

Her tears were streaming down her face now, but she didn't even care about it anymore. Without another look back at the sleeping prince she walked into the spare room, and she took a deep breath as she silently closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed.

Once dreaded as a lonely exile her only friend in this world would banish her to whenever he thought it fit, this room now felt like a safe haven to her.

The little stjarna caught her attention and she took it from her nightstand, trying hard to keep herself from sobbing out loudly. It felt like an eternity since she had bought this little thing on the market, and it was hard to believe that it had only been a day. One single day, and everything had changed. Yesterday at this time, she had just returned from a shopping tour with Anjali and Shiari; she had been so happy about her purchases, she had been looking forward to her and Loki's trip to the lake - and in just one day, everything had been shattered into sharp little pieces that were now cutting deep into her delicate skin.

Yesterday, everything had felt right. Today, everything had turned out to be wrong.

_What is wrong, love? Do not worry, I am here with you._

Layla frowned. Where did these words come from? When and where had she heard them before? Who had said them? Had anybody said them at all - or was she simply losing her mind? It wouldn't really come as a surprise.

With a deep breath, she lay down on her stomach again. God, how she missed sleeping on her back or on her side - but she didn't even want to imagine the pain it would cause her to feel.

A few seconds passed until she opened her eyes again. The silence in this room was deafening, she would have done almost anything to have some music here or maybe a TV - but the only thing she had here to distract herself with were the books she'd bought on the market, and she was definitely not in the mood for such heavy literature right now.

A fresh wave of tears was burning inside of her eyes when she imagined what it would be like if she was at home now - her mom would bring her her favourite dishes to bed, Sophia would curl up beside her and read something to her, and her dad would probably come home from work in the evening with a new book for her to read or maybe her favourite Ben & Jerry's ice cream. She would be listening to music, watching TV, reading books while her family would take care of her during her recovery.

Finally overwhelmed by pain and utter despair, Layla started to cry bitterly, yet silently - nothing would be worse right now than to wake the god next door - and she cried and cried until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open any longer.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki's hand was searching for Layla's before he was even fully awake.

When it finally dawned on his drowsy mind that there was nothing to be found next to him, he woke with a start, staring at the empty spot next to him. There were little stains of the blue skaða potion on the white bedsheets, and for a moment, Loki just looked at them with a blank expression on his face, not able to process why there was nothing but a few flecks to be seen next to him.

It took him only a few seconds to leap to his feet, his gaze frantically searching the entire room, but no - Layla was gone.

_Again._

This time, he felt nothing but concern at her disappearing, though. He hurried into the bathroom and frowned when he found it empty, then rushed into the spare room - and let out a sigh of relief when his gaze fell on the sleeping girl.

A second later, a sharp pang shot through his chest when he realized that she must have come here to escape him. She had never left his bed voluntarily before to sleep here instead.

Loki approached Layla quietly, letting his gaze wander over her back. The potion had soaked into her skin by now, the strong herbal scent and the bright blue colour the ointment has turned into indicated the positive effect it had on Layla's injuries, and indeed, her wounds already looked slightly better. He would apply another layer of the potion in the evening to ensure a mostly painless and relaxing nightsleep for Layla.

When his eyes fell onto a little object that was lying beside her, he frowned before a soft smile started to play at the corners of his lips when he recognized the item. It was a stjarna, a little star-shaped night light. He'd had one, too, when he had been little - actually, he still had it somewhere in his library cupboard; he'd never had the heart to throw it away.

When he had been a child, he had been haunted by terrible nightmares - nightmares of monsters that were lurking in the darkness, watching him with crimson eyes, growling and snarling at him - and he had often started up from his sleep, drenched in sweat and screaming for his mother. His father had shaken his head at his 'childish behaviour' and told him to grow up and finally be a man, but his mother had never reprimanded him, nor had she ever hesitated to comfort him when she'd sensed his distress. One evening she had come into his chambers with a stjarna, and he had been smitten with amazement when she'd let it hover above his nightstand, bathing his bedroom in colourful lights.

He had never dreamt of the red-eyed monsters again.

When he put the stjarna onto the nightstand, he waved his hand at it and let it float and glow, and he smiled fondly. Layla must have purchased the stjarna at the market.

She suddenly let out a whimpering noise in her sleep, and Loki reached out to stroke her head, watching her carefully. He desperately wanted to lie down beside her to comfort her, but it didn't seem right to him to carry her back into his bed. He had already disregarded so many of her wishes in the past - it was time for him to respect one of them.

He waved his hand to conjure up the book the little Sophia had given him and sat down next to the sleeping girl, carefully guiding her to snuggle up to him a bit which she actually did, humming quietly at the touch. When she unwittingly put her arm over his chest, he smiled down at her, gently caressing her hand before he opened the midgardian book and started to read the next chapter to her.

_"The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment."_

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
Loki had just finished the fourth chapter of the book - it was surprisingly good, especially considering that it was midgardian literature - when somebody knocked on his door. He placed the book on Layla's nightstand and quickly got out of the bed, feeling a wave of relief rushing through him at the thought that it was probably his mother or Odin himself knocking. It was only a matter of minutes now until Odin would finally dethrone Thor.

He didn't want to wake Layla, so he rushed to the door to quietly open it himself - and stopped dead in his tracks. It wasn't his mother standing there, nor was it his father. It was half a dozen of Asgard's strongest and most skillful Einherjar.

The one standing right in front of him cleared his throat. "Your Highness, I beg your forgiveness, but the king gave us the order to accompany you to the dungeons."

Loki snorted in disbelief. "Would you mind repeating that?"

Clearly unsettled, the guard glanced at his entourage before he said, "We have been told to put you in prison."

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Loki raised his eyebrows. "Which king gave you this order, if I may ask?"

"Um - King Thor, Your Highness."

Loki let out an annoyed sigh. Odin had obviously not taken care of Thor yet, and Thor himself seemed determined to let their dispute escalate even further. Well, if he actually wanted to follow through with this ridiculous demonstration of power, the joke was on him.

The prince gave the guards an amused look. "As much as I appreciate Thor's courtesy to send me so many of his glorious warriors to accompany me, but I fear that I have far better things to do than to spend my time in the dungeons. Send my regards to the king."

The expression on the guard's face became even more uneasy; he almost looked apologetic, but Loki didn't pay attention to him. He closed his eyes and focused on teleporting himself out of here - and frowned when his eyes snapped back open and he realized that he was still standing in front of the guards.

_What in the nine realms -_

"Oh, you should see your face, brother!"

Loki narrowed his eyes at the sound of the distinctive booming voice coming from down the hallway.

"I assume that you just tried to teleport yourself? Well, you see, I expected you to do some witchery - luckily it is in a king's power to constrict a royal prisoner's magical shenanigans."

When Thor stepped up behind the group of Einherjar, Loki glared at him. "What is all this about, Thor?"

Thor smirked. "What does it look like? You are arrested."

Loki shook his head. "You cannot be serious. You deprive me of my seidr and throw me into prison? Do you really want to take this path?"

"I will do what is necessary to protect my kingdom."

"And you deem me an endangerment to it?" Loki asked in disbelief.

Thor raised his voice. "I deem anyone an endangerment to the kingdom who tries to assassinate its rightful king!"

" _Assassinate?_ " Loki snorted. "It was hardly an assassination attempt, I recall causing you greater harm when we were scuffling with each other as children -"

"Well, we are hardly children anymore, and I am king now, am I not?" Thor smirked. "If I call it an assassination attempt, it was one. And if I choose to charge you with high treason, you will be charged with such."

Loki narrowed his eyes at the god of thunder. For a second, he thought he'd seen something in these piercing blue eyes that he had already thought lost - a spark of his brother, his _true_ brother; not the power-hungry, ruthless megalomaniac that he had become over the last centuries, but his big brother Thor. A brother who was fervent, boisterous and wild, but well aware of his metes and bounds; who was reckless if he wanted to, but also indulgent at times; who was hot-tempered and impatient, yes, but all in all a decent and honourable man - a brother that Loki could, despite all their differences and disputes, always rely on when he needed him. When had his brother changed so much? When had he become the monster that was standing in front of him now?

When Loki finally recognized his brother in the king's eyes again, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth to talk to Thor - not to _sneer_ at him, not to _shout_ at him, to actually _talk_ , the way that they had used to when they had needed to resolve one of their disputes - but then the little spark that Loki had thought to have seen was gone again, extinguished, lost, and Loki closed his mouth, knowing without a doubt that it had become futile to appeal to Thor's better nature. There was nothing left to appeal to.

Thor averted his gaze and hit the ground with Gungnir. The booming sound reverberated through the hallway.

"Get this treacherous culprit out of my sight now, guards. He belongs in prison."

And without another look at his little brother, Thor walked off with his head held high. Loki, his brows furrowed, watched him stalk down the hallway until he turned a corner. It wasn't until one of the guards cleared his throat that he remembered the situation he was in.

_Right. Prison._

Loki's gaze flickered over the guards' faces and he ran his fingers through his hair, carefully pondering over his options before he made a decision. Then, flashing a disarming smile at the Einherjar, he raised his hands in surrender.

"Well, gentlemen, you heard your king! Let us not complicate this most unpleasant matter any further. I shall accompany you without resistance and I am certain that this inconvenient misunderstanding will be corrected in no time at all."

A wave of relief seemed to flow through the guards at his words, and as Loki stepped out of his chambers and allowed them to guide him down the hallway, he noticed with satisfaction that none of them showed the slightest inclination to manacle him, nor had anybody drawn their weapons. He probably could have escaped if he'd tried to, but he had other ideas of how to deal with his brother's madness.

When he let his gaze wander over the Einherjar, he noted a particularly reluctant, almost indignant expression on one of their faces. Loki recognized him immediately; it was one of his former apprentices, a young and very loyal man that Loki had regularly provided his support when he'd had difficulties with his combat training. When the man felt Loki's gaze rest on him, he met his eyes with a rueful smile.

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness", he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Loki gave him an encouraging smile. "Do not worry, my friend. I hold no grudges against you. You only do as you are told by your king, and I appreciate your loyalty."

The young guard shook his head. "Thank you, Your Highness - but this is not - listen, is there anything I can do? Anything at all?"

Again, Loki smiled at him.

"As a matter of fact, there is."

 

 

 


	35. Tell Me The Truth

"I've missed you so much, my love."

Loki's voice was soft and loving and it felt like a gentle caress on Layla's tormented soul.

"I've missed you, too", she whispered, "I thought - Thor - he told me such awful things about you and I thought -"

"Shh, darling", Loki murmured, nuzzling his face into the crook of Layla's neck, his lips hovering over her sensitive skin and sending shivers down her spine. "Everything is alright. Thor has been lying to you. But he is gone now, I have taken care of him. Now it is just you and me. You will never have to worry about him again, I promise."

He was lying behind her, his arms wrapped tightly around her body, and his soothing voice was starting to lull her into a warm, peaceful haze.

"But what about you?" she asked quietly, "The things he said about you - is _that_ something I have to worry about?"

Loki planted soft kisses on her neck and she felt his hands stroke over her waist when he pulled her even closer into his embrace. "No, darling. Everything he has told you has been a lie. You are not a whore to me - you are _everything_ to me. Layla, I love you. I have loved you from the day that I have found you at the market."

Layla's heart leapt with joy at his words and she slowly turned around to look into Loki's beautiful face and his mesmerizing eyes. She had to make sure that he really meant what he was saying - but as she eyed him carefully and could find nothing but genuine affection and love in his expression, an overwhelming surge of sheer happiness came over her and she leaned forward to brush her lips against Loki's.

"I love you, too", she whispered against his lips, and she closed her eyes to savour the feeling of Loki's skin on hers when he cupped her face with his large hands.

They sank into a passionate kiss and Layla indulged in Loki's gentle and sensual touch, drinking in his affection like a parched woman that had finally reached a lush oasis in the middle of a desert.

When she could feel his growing erection press against her thighs, she couldn't help but chuckle. Loki let go of her lips and opened his eyes, looking at her with a confused expression on his slightly flushed face.

"What is amusing you, my sweet one?"

With a mischievous grin, Layla let her hand trail down his muscular chest, enjoying the little hitch in his breathing when her fingers wandered over his abdomen, until she reached his crotch and wrapped her hand around his hardened manhood, causing Loki to take in a sharp breath.

"Your instant reaction to a single kiss."

Loki grinned. "You cannot blame me", he purred, "I have the most beautiful woman in all the nine realms pressing her delicious, warm body against me -"

Layla laughed out, stroking his cock with slow, measured movements. "You don't have to sweet talk me into your bed, you know. I'm already in it."

Loki growled approvingly. "I should seize the opportunity then and ravish you, don't you think?"

"There are no objections to that."

Smirking, Loki pressed his lips against Layla's again, claiming her mouth in another deep kiss that sent waves of arousal through her body. She grabbed his hips and pulled him over her - or attempted to, anyways, since she obviously lacked the strength to actually make Loki move - but he happily obeyed her silent command and rolled over her, pinning her down between his firm body and the soft mattress beneath her. Gazing into her beautiful brown eyes, he started to plant soft kisses on her face, and when Layla impatiently gripped his bottom cheeks and lifted her hips to thrust against him, he burst into laughter.

"Darling, I am trying to be romantic here."

Layla moaned. "Save your romance for later. I want you, now."

With a smug smile playing at his lips, Loki lowered his head to suckle at her neck instead, which made Layla shiver in delight. She wrapped her legs around his body and they both moaned out when Loki's rock hard cock was pressed against her throbbing core.

"Well, if my queen wants me, then my queen shall have me", Loki whispered into her ear, and before Layla could reply, he slowly pushed into her.

Growling with desire as he felt her tight, hot channel around his cock, Loki rocked himself deep into her, and with a blissful sigh Layla buried her hands in his tousled hair to pull his face closer.

"I love you, Layla", Loki breathed, his lips hovering over hers, before he entered her fully in a deep thrust.

Layla wanted to reply, but found herself incapable of forming a coherent sentence as Loki sank himself into her to the hilt, again and again, making her cry out in pleasure. She met each of his thrusts with one of her own, and Loki pressed his mouth against her quivering lips when she eventually started stammering his name, completely lost in her desire for him.

Their lips and tongues were still united in a fervent kiss when Layla felt her climax near, and she threw her head back with a loud moan.

"That's it, darling, come for me", Loki growled, rapidly thrusting into her to push her over the edge, and as he felt her tight walls starting to flutter around him, he couldn't hold himself back anymore, either.

Layla's screaming almost drowned Loki's growls as they were both crushed by a blissful wave of mutual ecstasy, and while Loki kept plunging into her to ride out their orgasms, they both clung to each other as if they never wanted to let go again.

"I love you, Layla", Loki breathed into her ear, "I love you - I love you -"

 

**"Layla?"**

 

Layla's eyes flew open in confusion when she heard a female voice that clearly wasn't Loki's. Had somebody sneaked into their rooms while they were sleeping with each other? God, how embarrassing -

Her eyes darted through the room to look for the source of the strangely familiar voice, but there was nobody - she looked back at Loki, who didn't seem to have heard anything; he was still whispering sweet confessions of his love into her ears -

"Loki", Layla said, still panting from her intense orgasm, "Didn't you hear -"

She gasped in shock when Loki suddenly dissolved into green mist right in front of her, leaving nothing but a strange feeling of grievous loss behind.

 

**"Hey, Layla!"**

 

There was the voice again - she _knew_ that voice - but whose was it? She tried to turn around, but her body suddenly seemed so heavy -

A sudden, loud shriek almost made her jump out of her skin, and Layla's head jolted up from her pillow.

 

"Shh, you're scaring her!"

"But look, she's moving!"

Layla was profoundly confused. She was lying on her stomach now - when had she turned around? Where was Loki? Why were there women talking about her? And why did every single one of her movements hurt so badly?

She carefully sat up until she found herself in a somewhat bearable position and blinked a few times before she realized who she was looking at. Shiari and Anjali were both sitting at Layla's bedside, and they were both beaming at her. She frowned.

"What the - where did you - where is Lo-"

And before she could even say his full name, the blissful haze that her dream had left her in suddenly cleared and let the memories of the last days crash in on her like a heavy sandstorm.

There was no affectionate Loki who had whispered "I love you" into her ear. There was no romance, no bliss, no water in the desert. Instead, there was nothing but endless, sandy grounds, dried out and parched; vaste deserts as far as her weary eyes could reach; dust-dry wastelands of hopelessness lying both behind and before her.

Thor's threat to take Sophia. Loki's betrayal. The Warriors touching her. The whipping. She, stumbling through the palace, naked, bloody and crying -

It all came back to her mind in a matter of seconds, like furious blasts of hot sand that were hurtling into her face, filling her mouth, her eyes, everything; leaving her blind and breathless and lost. For a moment, she felt vaguely grateful that she was already lying in her bed - she was certain that she would have stumbled to the ground if she had been standing, crushed by the harsh reality she had found herself in after her brief escape into a life worth living.

" - Layla?"

She had not realized that she had closed her eyes again until they snapped back open to meet Shiari's concerned gaze.

"You're so pale - are you okay? You've been whimpering in your sleep -"

Layla wanted to reply - she wanted to tell her that she was fine - but when she opened her mouth, she found herself incapable of saying a word. All that she could think about was how badly she wanted to return to the blissful illusion that Shiari's voice had brutally yanked her out of.

"Layla, please say something", Anjali said in a tearful voice, and when Layla didn't react, she let out a sob.

The sound somehow managed to break through the misty wall of confusion and denial, and Layla's gaze fell on Anjali, whose cerulean eyes were glistening with tears.

"Anjali", she said, her voice strangely hoarse, "What's wrong?"

Anjali gaped at her. "What's _wrong?_ Are you kidding me, girl? We thought you were fucking done for!"

Shiari shot Anjali her familiar scolding look, but nodded when she looked back at Layla. "We were really worried about you. How do you feel?"

Layla instinctively opened her mouth to make a joke about her situation, but she lowered her gaze when she realized that she was, for the probably first time in her life, at a loss for one. She suddenly felt tears pool in her own eyes and she furiously wiped them away.

"I'm - I'm okay, I think", she murmured eventually, avoiding her friends' gazes. When she looked up again and met Anjali's still wet eyes, she tried to smile at her. "It's good to see you. I can't believe that Loki allowed you to visit me, though -"

Saying his name sent a sharp pain through her tightened chest, and she could have sworn that she could literally feel her heartbeat stutter. When she regained her composure after a few seconds, she noticed how the two women beside her were exchanging nervous looks.

"What's wrong? You didn't break in here, did you?"

"No", Shiari said quietly, "Everything's fine, don't worry. The queen assigned me to take care of you."

"And I sneaked away", Anjali grinned, "But I doubt that our dear king is even going to notice it, he's too busy with - with other things."

Layla stared at Shiari. "The _queen_ has assigned you to take care of me?"

Shiari nodded. "She has come to see you, too, but you've been sleeping."

"The queen has been _here?_ "

"A few hours ago, yes."

"A few - I - what?" Layla stammered, "How long have I been sleeping?"

Anjali swallowed. "A while. What - Layla, what has happened?"

Layla closed her eyes.

_Thor has happened. Loki has happened. They have unleashed hell on me and I've gone up in flames, and by now, I'm pretty sure there's nothing left of me but ashes._

"You don't have to talk about it", Shiari said when she saw Layla pale again, "The most important thing right now is that you recover, Layla. I'll take care of your injuries and everything else. Don't worry about anything."

"And I'll come and visit you, too", Anjali added quickly, "I'll bring you whatever you want - look, I've been in the library for you and found some midgardian books, and I stole some hunangberry juice for you, too -"

Layla couldn't help but smile at her friend. "You'll get yourself into some serious trouble one day, you know that, right?"

"I know", Anjali grinned proudly, "But they'd have to catch me out for that."

"So", Layla said eventually, "Um - what the hell is going on with - you know who, I mean, the prince - why the hell is he allowing me to take a break and have visitors and everything?" Again, she caught her friends glancing at each other, and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

Shiari sighed. "Layla, there's a few things that have happened while you've been unconscious. The prince - he's - well, he's in the prison. It's said that he's attempted to murder the king."

Layla gaped at her. _"What?!"_

"I don't know - I heard some of the guards talk and they said that it was a harmless fight and that King Thor just used it as a flimsy excuse to get rid of Prince Loki. Others say that Prince Loki was armed and almost wounded the king to death - I have no idea what to believe in."

"But - that's - why should he attempt to murder the king?"

"To mount the throne himself, I guess", Anjali replied, "Everybody knows how jealous he's always been of his brother."

Layla slowly shook her head. "That doesn't really make sense to me."

Shiari raised her shoulders. "Nobody really knows what to believe in. The queen is devastated. She's been sitting at her husband's side all day and before I left, I even heard how she asked him to wake up. She's never asked him to interrupt his Odinsleep before."

"And when he wakes up, what will he do?"

"Hopefully throw King Thot into the prison next to his creepy brother", Anjali muttered, shrugging at Shiari when she gave her a stern look.

"He'll sort things out", Shiari corrected Anjali, "He has always been a righteous king. Firm, but fair. Things have only gone downhill ever since King Thor has taken over."

Layla wasn't sure if she agreed with the former king's alleged righteousness - it had been under his rule, after all, when she had been living at the slave market under terrible conditions and when Loki had purchased her like a piece of meat - but she supposed that anybody would be a better king than Thor.

"Queen Frigga was really angry about your punishment", Shiari added quietly.

Layla didn't answer. She didn't even want to think about her punishment, and she most certainly had no desire at all to talk about it, either.

Shiari gave her an encouraging smile. "Everything will be alright once King Odin awakens", she assured Layla, her voice soothing and calm, "I promise. It's going to be okay, Layla."

It was nothing but meaningless words of consolation; empty promises that were supposed to calm her as if she was nothing but a child that was scared of the dark, but when Layla looked into Shiari's warm, golden eyes and felt her soft hand wrap around hers, she suddenly felt slightly better. She nodded, gratefully squeezing her friend's hand, and cleared her throat.

"Thank you."

  


* * *

 

 

"Did you take care of Layla?" was the first thing Loki said when his mother's illusion appeared in his cell.

"I did", she assured him with a soft smile, "Everything is fine. When I visited Layla, she was asleep, but as well as can be expected under the current circumstances. My handmaid is taking care of her now."

Loki closed his eyes, nodding in relief. When he opened them and met Frigga's gaze, he furrowed his brows. "You look worried."

"Of course I am worried, Loki! One of my sons is clearly out of control and the other one is locked up and awaiting his trial!"

Loki sighed. "Well, all this nonsense should be over as soon as father has spoken with Thor."

Frigga gave Loki a careful look. "Loki - your father - he has not waken up yet."

Loki had been pacing up and down in his cell, but at his mother's words, he turned around in a swift movement. "He is not awake? Why? Did you not tell him about everything?"

"I did. I am not sure why he didn't wake up - maybe he cannot, he seemed to be rather weak in those last days before he went to sleep -"

"Or maybe", Loki interrupted her bitterly, "He just doesn't care that his wayward son is facing a death penalty that will be carried out by his favourite's hands."

Frigga shook her head. "Don't say that, son. You know that it's not true -"

"Do I? Where is he, then? Did you tell him that Thor has send me to prison like a common criminal?"

"I did", Frigga sighed, "And I'll admit that I am more than surprised that your father did not react accordingly. I am worried, Loki. Maybe this will be the last sleep he has ever fallen into."

Loki reached out for his mother's hand and hissed furiously when his hand went right through the illusion.

"This situation is absurd", he growled, "If Thor -"

"Your brother will not sentence you to death, Loki. He would not dare to. I assume that his plan is to humiliate you and prove his superiority, but once he has calmed down -"

" _If_ he calms down. I do not recognize him anymore, mother. He has changed so much lately - we always had our quarrels, but never would I have expected him to send me to the dungeons. And what he did to Layla - that was not just his usual display of power, mother, it was an act of barbarous cruelty. I have sent one of my men to the guard who has executed Thor's order. Apparently, Thor deemed a simple penalty for disobedience insufficient for Layla - he has sentenced her to a penalty for _severe_ disobedience, and he has ordered the guard to execute it twice. _Twice_ , mother."

Frigga looked appalled. "That explains the severity of her injuries", she said slowly, then eyed Loki with a frown. "Did the guard happen to know the reason behind the punishment?"

Loki shook his head. "No."

"I will visit Layla later today and ask her about it. I wonder what she could have done to deserve this." She looked back at Loki. "For now, though, we have to focus on you, son. Thor has refused to talk to me so far, and while I doubt that he would go so far as to sentence you to death, I am still worried."

"I am less worried about myself than about our kingdom", Loki replied bitterly, "Not to mention -"

When he hesitated, Frigga gave him a knowing smile. "I will take good care of Layla, do not worry. And I will do what I can for our kingdom, too. I am still hopeful that your father will awake soon."

"If he has not awoken until now, I would not count on it", Loki muttered thoughtfully. And then, for the first time since his imprisonment, Loki's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Well, then - if father is not going to dethrone Thor, I assume that I will have to take care of that."

  


* * *

 

 

"Ow", Layla whimpered, and Shiari bit into her lip.

"I'm so sorry, Layla. I'm almost done."

"It's okay", she muttered, "It just stings a little."

It was far worth than just 'a little sting', but Shiari wanted to help her, after all, and Layla didn't want her to feel bad about it. Anjali had left a few minutes ago to get back to work, and Shiari had just begun to carefully apply a healing ointment to Layla's wounds.

"This is a special asgardian ointment that numbs the pain and accelerates the healing process", she explained, "I've already applied it once today when I was here earlier, but you've been asleep. Oh, by the way, don't be surprised when you look into the mirror, it turns your skin blue."

"That explains a lot", Layla stated, "When I woke up some time ago and looked into the mirror, I was a bit startled. Did that awful herbal scent come from the ointment, too?"

Shiari smiled. "Yes. It starts unfolding its scent and colour when it's soaked into the skin and begins to take effect. I always feel sick from the intense scent, and the colour looks a little creepy, too, but it really helps, so I guess it's worth looking like a frost giant. So you were already up today?"

"Just for a moment. I really had to pee, but I quickly went back to bed."

_And then I cried myself to sleep because the man that I basically owe these injuries to doesn't love me back. God, I'm so pathetic._

She felt a wave of anger rush through her veins when it crossed her mind that Loki could have easily healed her injuries and eased her pain - but obviously, she wasn't even worth that much. Sick and twisted as the sadist was, he had probably even enjoyed lying beside a brutally battered woman. She wondered if he had said anything about her condition to Shiari when she had been here earlier to apply the ointment to her wounds, but she didn't dare to ask. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to talk about him without helplessly bursting into tears, and she felt the fierce urge to at least keep the last vestiges of self-control and dignity.

"It's a good sign that you can walk on your own", Shiari said eventually, "If you need help with anything, just let me know."

"Actually, I would love to take a bath, but I'm not sure I could handle that yet."

Shiari hummed. "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow? Let the ointment work for another night, and tomorrow we'll give it a try."

"Sounds good. And I guess by now everybody in the palace has already seen me stark-naked, anyways, so why bother about privacy, huh?"

They both chuckled, and Layla felt a sudden rush of something almost resembling happiness at the sound. She couldn't remember when she had laughed the last time.

"Layla", Shiari said eventually, her voice very quiet and cautious, "If I may ask - you have an awful lot of wounds - how many - I mean -"

"No idea, but it sure feels like an awful lot", she tried to joke, but her voice trembled. "Oh wait, the guard in the dungeons told me I'd get thirty lashes", she suddenly remembered, and frowned when she heard Shiari take a sharp breath. "Why?"

" _Thirty?_ " she heard her friend repeat, her voice filled with barely contained rage, "Layla, why the hel did you get thirty lashes? The penalty for disobedience is five lashes!"

"I - I have no idea", Layla muttered, "Thor - he was - really mad -"

"Did you - uh - do anything - you know, to harm him?"

A strange noise somewhere between a sob and laughter escaped Layla's throat. "Harm him? Thor? Me?"

"I'm sorry", Shiari quickly said, "I just - I don't understand why -" She took a deep breath. "I apologize, I shouldn't have brought this up."

"It's okay", Layla replied absent-mindedly. Honestly, she didn't even care about Thor's reasons anymore. She couldn't change it anyways, and frankly, it didn't really matter, either. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Really, all that she could think about was going back to sleep.

The two women relapsed into silence while Shiari focused on Layla's treatment again. Layla was gazing into nothingness.

"I'm done", Shiari said after a few more minutes, "How do you feel?"

"It's already better", Layla said gratefully, "It's really bearable now. Only when - _ouch_ \- yeah, when I move, it hurts. Like hell."

"Don't move, then!" Shiari chastised her with a laugh. "Anjali is going to come around in an hour or so to bring you something to eat - and, I guess, more stolen hunangberry juice."

Layla nodded and turned her head to the side of the bed that Shiari was sitting at to give her a faint smile.

"Thank you, Shiari. I mean it."

"You're more than welcome, Layla. Whatever you need, let me know. And I'm sorry if I upset you - I'm just - I'm so angry - and I wish I could do more to help you."

"You're already doing a lot. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Shiari gave her a warm smile. "I know you'll be."

When Shiari left a moment later, Layla's eyes flickered to the pile of books lying on her nightstand. Just a few days ago she would have been overjoyed at the sight of so many books in her language, but right now, the thought of actually reading one of them was exhausting. She felt endlessly powerless and tired. Shiari had told her that her exhaustion was no surprise regarding her physical condition and that her injuries have drained her of strength and energy, but Layla wasn't sure if her injuries were the only reason for it. She felt strange - as if it wasn't just her body that lacked energy, but her mind and her soul, too. All that she wanted was to fall asleep again.

With a deep sigh she slowly tried to turn around - she had always hated lying on her stomach - but quickly regretted her decision when a vicious pain shot through her back.

 _Fine_ , she thought as she turned back around and closed her eyes in frustration, _Fine, why not, I guess I've spent enough of my time in this goddamn palace lying on my back, anyways. Why not be forced to lie on my stomach for a change._

For a while she just lay there with her eyes closed, using all of her remaining strength to fight the painful thoughts that just didn't stop crawling back into her mind. When she finally started to drift off to sleep, the last fleeting thought that wafted through her dizzy mind was how deeply she wished to return into the dream she'd had earlier.

  


* * *

 

  
"Hey sweetie!"

The loud, cheerful voice dragged Layla out of her sleep without any mercy, and she tried desperately to cling onto the blissful dream she'd had - she could vaguely remember that Loki had been lying next to her in her dream, reading familiar words to her in his beautiful, deep voice - but the memory was running through her fingers like sand. Wait, the words he had been reading to her, wasn't that - wasn't it -

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to wake you! I guess you were talking in your sleep, I thought you were awake -"

And just like that, the memory was gone.

"Hey, you're okay?"

Layla sighed as she struggled to sit up and glanced at Anjali who had just placed a meal tray on her nightstand and was now sitting down at Layla's bedside.

"Yeah, I'm okay - I was just trying to remember the dream I had - but -"

Anjali smiled at her. "Must have been a good dream. You were smiling."

Layla raised her shoulders and frowned. Yes, she was quite sure that it had been a good dream, Loki had been in it again; but she couldn't for the life of her remember what exactly it had been about. Anjali cocked her head and reached out to take Layla's hand.

"Hey, don't look so sad. Everything's going to be fine. Look, I brought you more juice and something to eat!"

With a light smile on her lips, Layla took the glass of her favourite juice from Anjali. "Thank you."

Anjali made a dismissive hand gesture. "Forget it. You'd do the same for me. I can't believe that you've been the first of us to get flogged, anyways, with everything that I've already screwed up over the last centuries -"

Layla gave her a crooked smile. "I guess I beat you."

"Yeah - can't say that I envy you." She shook her head and eyed Layla sympathetically. "Gods, when Prince Loki found out that you weren't in his chambers - he was so furious; he thought you had run away."

"Well, he had good reasons to believe that", Layla muttered, trying to ignore the jolt of pain that hearing Loki's name had sent through her heart again.

_He had told Thor to invite his friends over and have a fun evening with me, after all. It shouldn't have been a surprise to him if I had run away again._

Tears were suddenly burning in her eyes, and finally, she couldn't keep them from running down her face anymore. Anjali looked at her, clearly alarmed.

"Hey, sweetie - don't cry, it'll be fine - Shiari said that this ointment does wonders, in a few weeks, your injuries will be nothing but scars -"

"It's not my injuries", Layla sobbed out, "It's - it's -"

"I know, I can only imagine how terrible it must be to be a pleasure slave, but -"

"It's not that either!"

Anjali frowned. "What - what is it, sweetie?"

Layla suddenly let out a shrill laughter. "It's - it's completely crazy -"

"You can tell me anything, Layla, and maybe I can -"

"It's because of Loki!" Layla exclaimed, "Can you believe that? I'm not crying because I've been fucking flogged, I'm not crying because I've been fucking raped, I'm crying because I've finally realized that this _fucking prince doesn't love me back!_ "

It didn't happen often that Anjali was at a loss for words, but this was one of these rare moments.

"Yeah", Layla half sobbed, half guffawed, "Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard? I've kept telling myself that he cares about me, that he has feelings for me, that he's a good guy, deep inside - and it took _Thor_ to open my eyes for the truth!"

Anjali narrowed her eyes. "Thor?"

"That's what happened before I got flogged - Loki had sent me to Thor so he and his friends could have their way with me - and when I didn't - when I couldn't -"

"That bastard", Anjali whispered, her hand pressed against her mouth, "He's promised you to not let that happen, hasn't he, and then he sends you to his deranged brother himself?"

A fresh wave of tears streamed over Layla's wet cheeks, and Anjali reached out for her hand, watching her helplessly.

"Sweetie - I'm so sorry - I never realized that you had actual feelings for -"

"I really thought that he's started to feel something for me, too", Layla sobbed out, "I mean, he even _told_ me that he cared for me - why did he do that? Why did he lie to me?"

Anjali shook her head. "He's the god of lies, Layla - I guess lying is just in his nature. It's not your fault -"

"Of course it is! How could I be so blind, so stupid? God, do you remember how you told me about these pleasure maids that were brought to the palace for Loki?" When Anjali nodded bashfully, Layla exclaimed, "I was jealous, Anjali! Can you believe that? I should have been relieved that somebody else was going to pleasure him, but instead, I was _jealous!_ And when he came back and told me that he hadn't even touched these women -"

Layla stopped when she saw a strange expression flash over Anjali's face. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing", Anjali hurried to say, and Layla shook her head.

"Anjali, please - don't lie to me, I - I can't take any more lies, please tell me the truth -"

Anjali took a deep breath and squeezed Layla's hand. "Sweetie - I'm so sorry, but - Prince Loki has spent _hours_ with these women. I saw him walk into a room with all eight of them, and - King Thor has ordered me to clean the room when they - uh - were done - and that was several hours later -"

Layla stared at Anjali, her eyes wide and her face even paler than before.

"God, I'm so stupid", she whispered, suddenly feeling sick, "When he returned, he told me that he rejected them because of me - because he only wanted to be with _me_ \- and then - then _he slept with me, too_ -" She clasped her hand over her mouth, trying to swallow down the bitter taste in the back of her throat. "Oh god, how could I believe him? And how - how could he -"

She broke into tears again, and Anjali couldn't hold herself back anymore and pulled Layla into a soft embrace, careful not to touch her back.

"Shh, sweetie, it's alright - it's not your fault. He's a bastard, that's all. They both are. They should have just murdered each other and let the queen rule."

Layla wasn't really listening to Anjali's mumbling, but she clung to her for dear life, indulging in her friend's closeness and the comfort she gave her. When they let go of each other after a while, Layla looked at Anjali.

"Do you know what the worst about all this is?"

The blonde woman returned the heavy-hearted gaze of her friend and slowly shook her head.

"The worst is that even now, after everything I know, the only thing I can think about is how desperate I am to fall asleep again. And it's not because I'm tired or need to recover or anything like that."

When her voice broke, Anjali carefully tucked a stray of hair beneath Layla's ear, eyeing her questioningly. "What is it, then?"

Layla took a deep breath. "I dream of Loki when I fall asleep, and that's all I can think about - how badly I want to be with Loki again, even if it's just in my dreams."

 

 

 


	36. Torn Between Screaming And Crying

 

Anjali stayed with Layla for a long time, trying to comfort her with everything she had, but nothing she said or did seemed to be enough to cheer her friend up. When she realized that she should already have returned to her work half an hour ago, she let out a deep sigh.

"Layla, I'm so sorry, but I have to go back to work now. Ophelia is probably already fuming."

Layla nodded. "Sure. Thank you for everything, Anjali."

Anjali gave her a sad smile. "I wish I could stay here with you."

"Be careful what you wish for", Layla tried to joke, "If you keep stealing the royal's beverages for me, you might soon get flogged yourself, and then you'll have to keep me company in my sickbed all the time."

To Layla's surprise, Anjali didn't even smile at her. Instead, she lowered her gaze and stared at the bedsheets. "Can't take much longer until I get punished, anyways."

Layla frowned. "What do you mean?" When Anjali kept avoiding her gaze without answering, she added with a smile, "Come on, I've been pouring out my heart to you for an hour or so, it's your turn now!"

"It's King Thor", Anjali finally said after a long moment of silence, "He keeps trying to - well, you know. Yesterday I heard him talk to his friends - he was bragging about how it was time for him to make me work my way into his bed -" She swallowed. "And this morning, when I was cleaning his chambers, he started groping me and I've - kind of - just run away from him. I haven't seen him since, but I doubt that he's forgotten about that. And I'm about to return to his chambers soon."

"But - but I thought he's not allowed to touch you because you're not a bedmaid?" Layla said, her eyes wide. The bitter pain that had been nagging at her insides even more ever since Anjali had revealed the truth about the last royal feast and Loki's -  _activities -_ during it was finally fading, but a wild fear for her friend was taking its place, and Layla wasn't sure which feeling was harder for her to endure.

Anjali shook her head. "Technically, he's not. But it's not like anybody's there to stop him at the moment."

"Then you have to tell someone who can stop him!" Layla exclaimed, "Tell Ophelia!"

"Yeah, we're supposed to do that if anything like this happens. And I guess I would have done that before. But now I doubt that it would have any effect."

"Why? What would she do?"

"She's supposed to talk to the king and queen in such a case, and they are to reprimand or even punish those responsible for the infringement." Anjali let out a humourless laugh. "Sounds promising, huh?"

"But - what if the person responsible is the king himself? There must be a rule for that, too?"

Anjali shrugged. "There is. If it's something minor, it's assumed that things can be resolved in a meeting with everybody involved, including the head housemaid. If it's multiple violations or something severe, a noninvolved member of the royal family has to convene a hearing to question the king's behaviour and consider taking appropriate actions." When Layla eyed her curiously, Anjali gave her a sad smile. "I've already acquainted myself with the whole process and everything back when Thor became king. I felt like I was going to need this information."

Layla nodded eagerly. "That was a good idea. And see, if you told Ophelia, she could talk to the queen and the queen would have to do something, right? She's probably going to talk to Thor - she has done that before, you know, after the - um, the incident at the coronation feast -"

The blonde girl nodded slowly. "Yeah, and look where it got you in the long run."

Layla fell silent and lowered her head, and Anjali gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. But - look at you; you didn't do anything at all to deserve your penalty, did you? And the king actually imprisoned the _prince himself_ just because he gave him a little scratch! None of this is justified by law, but there's still nobody doing anything against it! Do you really think anybody is going to care about the violation of a random slave's rights if they don't even care about the prince's?"

Angry, desperate tears were starting to burn in Layla's eyes. "But - but - god, this is all so wrong, there must be something we can do -"

"There isn't."

"But if we told the queen -"

Anjali shook her head. "Even if she cared enough to talk to the king - what's it good for? It's not like she could stop him, she couldn't protect you, either. And can you imagine King Thor's reaction if he knew that I complained about him?"

Layla didn't know what to respond to that. She could very well imagine Thor's reaction to that, and it would most certainly not be a pleasant one.

"But you can't just walk back to him and let him abuse you!" she said eventually, her voice trembling.

"What else should I do?"

Layla shook her head frantically. "I don't know! What did Shiari say? She knows the queen better than we do, maybe she can -"

"I didn't tell her about Thor's latest advances", Anjali interrupted her quietly, and when she saw Layla frown at her, she added, "And please promise me that you won't tell her either. She'll insist on telling the queen, she might even tell her about it herself without my consent. She's - you know, sometimes, Shiari doesn't see things the way they are."

"What do you mean?"

Anjali bit into her lip. "I saw your face today when Shiari said that Odin was a righteous king. I know what you're thinking about that, but Shiari - she truly believes that, even though she knows about everything that's happened to you and so many other girls while Odin was king. I don't know - maybe it's because of her position as the royal couple's handmaid and because she's bound to be loyal to them. Or maybe it's because she's not a slave herself anymore and has forgotten what it used to be like. But she would never admit that Odin has been just as flawed a king as Thor is now, or that Asgard's slave laws are a complete joke for us slaves."

Layla nodded slowly. "I know what you mean. When I told her how many lashes I got, she asked me if I've done anything to hurt Thor."

Her friend sighed. "That's exactly what I mean. She probably can't believe that Asgard's king could ever actually violate a law without any consequences, so she thinks that there must be a reason for your penalty." At Layla's shocked look, she quickly added, "It's nothing personal; she just - she believes in Asgard, you see. She lives here as a free woman, she has a good job, she married an asgardian - this has become her home, and she doesn't want to acknowledge its mistakes. Don't get me wrong, I really love Shiari, she's like a sister to me. But you can tell she's not a slave anymore."

"But do you really think she'd talk to the queen, even against your will?"

"I fear so. She means well, she'd think it would help me, but trust me, it won't." She sighed. "There's nothing we can do, Layla, at least not without putting my life on the line in case the king hears about my complaints. And Shiari won't accept that. She still thinks that there's a fairytale like hers waiting for every one of us." With a sad smile, she looked at Layla. "But you and I know that there's not."

Layla met Anjali's gaze, and their eyes locked in mutual understanding.

Really, there was nothing Layla could say to that - if there was one thing she had learned ever since she had been summoned to Thor again, it was that there was nothing less likely than her life turning into a fairytale.

When Anjali saw tears well up in Layla's eyes, she took her hand. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It'll be alright, sweetie. You know me, I'm not going to make it easy for the bastard, so I assume that I'll be keeping you company with a few matching wounds on my back soon, huh?"

"Don't say that!"

Anjali laughed, but Layla had never felt less amused in her life.

"Come on, sweetie. Cheer up. I really have to go now, but I don't want to leave you all alone when you're crying."

Layla managed a faint smile, and Anjali burst into laughter. "Hel, that was pathetic!"

At this, Layla couldn't hold back a tearful chuckle, and Anjali hugged her softly.

"See, this is better. I'm really sorry for upsetting you, I shouldn't have told you about this. It'll be fine, Layla - I've been in this palace for centuries and look at me, I'm still very much alive. I've got to run now. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure", Layla replied, this time with a genuine smile on her face, "And - Anjali, you can tell me everything. Slaves gotta stick together, right?"

Anjali laughed as she rose from the bed. "Right you are! See you tomorrow!"

When she walked to the door, Layla closed her eyes for a moment. Again, she realized how utterly exhausted she was - her head felt as if it was about to shatter into painful pieces from the pressure of all the all-consuming thoughts that were whirling around inside of it. With the sudden silence surrounding her, Layla could have sworn that she could already hear the first small cracks arise in her fragile mind.

She decided that she was in desperate need of some rest.

When she had just made herself more comfortable again to try to go back to sleep - _and to Loki_ , she thought with a glimpse of shame - she could suddenly hear a surprised cry from outside, followed by Anjali stuttering, "Oh, Your Majesty, I - I apologize, I did not see you."

Layla froze. Thor wasn't seriously going to visit her, was he? She held her breath until she finally heard the queen's voice reply.

"Hello, Anjali. I wanted to look after Layla, just as you did, I assume. How does she feel?"

"Not very well, as expected", Anjali replied, and Layla frowned at the sudden coldness in her friend's voice. She knew that Anjali had always paid respect to Queen Frigga, but right now, her disappointment in the queen's sons obviously outweighed her respect for their mother.

"I am heartbroken about what has happened to her, my dear", she said with a soft voice, but Anjali didn't reply. "That is the reason I came to see her."

_Yeah, that's going to help against the constant abuse by your sons_ , Layla thought bitterly.

All of a sudden she felt so angry, helpless and lost that she couldn't even pay attention to the conversation outside anymore. She was torn between screaming and crying. What was wrong with this woman? This was the _queen_ , and she allowed men in her kingdom to abuse defenseless women without any consequences! This was Thor's and Loki's _mother_ and she chose to just look away when her very own sons tortured, raped and killed innocent beings just because they had been unfortunate enough to end up as slaves in their palace! She should protect her subordinates and subjects, not allow her very own family to abuse them!

When she heard the door open, she instinctively closed her eyes. She didn't want to look into this woman's eyes and assure her that everything was fine. She wouldn't allow this so-called queen to ease her conscience by trying to comfort her. If she, Layla, had to live with what her sons were doing to her, then so should their mother and queen.

"Layla?"

_No, not Layla. Slave. Whore. Slut. That's what your sons have turned me into, that's what I have become because of your laws, so why don't you address me properly?_

"My dear, are you awake?"

Layla struggled to keep her eyes closed and her breath even when the queen's soft hand suddenly stroked over her hair.

"I am terribly sorry for everything that has happened, my dearest."

At the queen's touch and her softly spoken words, a feeling of insecurity took the place of Layla's desperate rage, and for a split second she considered to open her eyes and tell her about Anjali and how Thor had threatened to rape her - but then she heard Anjali's words again - _Can you imagine King Thor's reaction if he knew that I complained about him?_ \- and she gritted her teeth to keep herself from saying anything that would betray Anjali's trust and might actually worsen her situation even more. Anjali had been right - as slaves in this world, they were on their own, they were completely and utterly alone, and nothing was ever going to change about that.

Frigga stayed at Layla's side for a few more minutes, stroking her head and whispering soft words of comfort to her that the girl gave her best to ignore. Eventually, the queen let out a deep sigh and leaned over the bed to plant a kiss on Layla's head.

"I will come back again tomorrow. Sleep well, my dear."

She left the room just as quietly as she had entered it, unaware that she was leaving a girl behind that was about to cry herself to sleep in the desperate hope that she would not awake again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"You need to stop worrying, son. She is just exhausted, but she will be fine. Sleep is the best medicine in her current state. Shiari told me that she has been awake when she's visited her, and she has been better than Shiari had expected."

Loki raised his eyebrows. "Who is Shiari?"

Frigga gave her son a reproachful look. "Shiari, son. My handmaid. She has been working for me for centuries, she is married to Brios and close friends with Layla."

Her son actually looked slightly embarrassed. "Of course, the vanir. She talked to Layla?"

"Yes, she did."

"Did Layla tell her the reason for her punishment?"

Frigga shook her head. "No, Shiari said that Layla didn't wish to talk about it. She only assured her that she didn't do anything to try to hurt Thor."

Loki chuckled coldly. "What could she possibly have done to hurt him, anyways? What else did your handmaid tell you?"

"Only that Layla is still very upset, but does anything she can to get better. She was even joking about her situation."

An expression of pride flashed across Loki's face. "She is even stronger than I thought", he said with a soft smile. "What about her injuries?"

"They look better than expected. The skaða potion did wonders to them." She hesitated. "When I came to visit her, Anjali was with her. _Anjali, Loki, by the norns_ \- she has been Thor's chambermaid for a century or so; the blonde light elf. She seemed quite distraught, too - I asked her if she could tell me anything about Layla, but she just told me that I should ask her myself if I actually cared and then left rather quickly."

Loki frowned. "That is quite out of place for a slave."

"Indeed. She's well-known to be rather cheeky, but she has never been disrespectful to me before."

"So?"

Frigga sighed. "I'm not sure. Maybe she knows more than we do, maybe she is just worried about her friend. I think I should talk to her."

With a suspicious frown, Loki eyed his mother. "Is there something you do not tell me?"

"No, there is not. I just have this - this  _feeling_  - I fear that the worst is yet to come."

"Do not worry, mother", Loki replied, "I have a plan and I will certainly not disappoint you."

With a soft smile, the queen looked into her son's eyes. "You could never disappoint me, Loki. Will you finally tell me about your plan now?"

Loki smirked. "I had planned to. I need your assistance, anyways." He hesitated before he said quietly, "Mother, how familiar are you with Asgard's impeachment proceedings?"

Frigga's eyes widened. "Loki, no."

"I see no other way."

"We cannot do this to him -"

"What other options do we have?"

"Loki, it would become publicly known in all the realms, he would be ruined -"

Loki sighed. "I know. I had been hoping that I would find a more elegant and discrete way to dethrone him, but I have been pondering over this the entire day to no avail. I believe this to be our only chance as long as father does not awake."

"I am not sure if it would work, anyways", Frigga objected, "Your brother has certainly acted ruthlessly and selfish in more than one way since he's become king, but he has never actually broken any of our laws. He must have commited an infringement for you to initiate an impeachment."

"I know, and I am working on that." Loki paced up and down in his cell again. "Let us talk about that later. There is another problem -"

Frigga didn't seem to listen to Loki anymore, she was gazing into nothingness, completely lost in her thoughts. Eventually, she looked up again. "You cannot initiate impeachment proceedings while you're in prison, son."

Loki gave her a sad smile. "Exactly. This is where I need your help."

"Oh Loki, no", Frigga exclaimed after a brief moment of confusion, "I cannot do this to him, he is my _son_ -"

"I know, and I understand how hard this is for you", Loki replied softly, "But Thor has become an endangerment to Asgard and to everything you and father have built over the last millenia. His new position has changed him, he is not who he used to be anymore."

They lapsed into silence, and Frigga looked at the ground, deeply conflicted. After a moment, she lifted her gaze to meet Loki's again.

"I cannot do this, Loki. I will try to talk to him again, maybe I can bring him back to reason -"

"Did that work in the last few months?" Loki snapped, "Who knows how much time we have left until our kingdom crumbles into dust - it is a miracle that Layla's punishment has not become publicly known yet, can you imagine the peoples' reaction to her current condition?"

"I have personally ordered everyone involved to remain silent about it."

Loki huffed, obviously not satisfied with his mother's reaction to his plan.

"Loki", Frigga said softly, "I will support you to the best of my abilities. If neccessary, I would even bear testimony to Thor's reckless and dangerous behaviour, as would be my duty in case of a hearing. But I cannot initiate my own son's downfall. He would never forgive me for that, and neither would I."

Loki let out a deep breath. "Well, my hands are tied as long as I am stuck in this cell. Do you happen to have any idea of how to get myself out of here?"

"Talk to your brother, Loki. Live up to your name and tell him exactly what he wants to hear. He would prefer you standing at his side to you sitting in a prison cell."

"You advise me to lie to him to gain his trust and then stab him in the back?" Loki eyed his mother irritated.

"I advise you to do anything you can to save our kingdom and our family", she corrected him, "I may not be strong enough to take charge of this myself, but I will do what I can to help you."

"Thank you, mother", Loki replied, his face softened, "It is the right thing to do, I am certain of this."

Frigga sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she frowned at Loki. "But what is the infringement you will accuse him of?"

Loki's lips curled into a smug smile. "I have been talking to a very loyal member of the Einherjar who has kept his ears open for me. Apparently, most of our guards do not support Thor's accusation of attempted murder and high treason and find it highly suspicious - or in other words, unjustified - that Thor pressed these charges against me for a rather minor incident. They accuse him of despotism and abuse of authority. The head of the Einherjar himself is appalled by Thor's latest behaviour."

"So you would have the majority of our guards and soldiers as well as the head of the Einherjar on your side", Frigga mumbled thoughtfully, "Well, the accusation itself is not much, but with the Einherjars' support, it might work."

Loki nodded. When he looked back at his mother, he suddenly noticed how tired and exhausted she looked, and he wanted to reach out to take her hand so badly that he thought his heart might burst.

"Do not worry, mother", he said quietly, "It will be fine. And who knows; maybe one day even Thor will realize that he did not leave us a choice."

Frigga shook her head, tears pooling in her beautiful eyes. "Do you really believe in that?" When Loki didn't reply, Frigga eyed him carefully. "Loki - are you certain that you want to take this road? He might never forgive us, never talk to us again. Thor is your brother, after all."

Loki returned her gaze, and for a moment, his own expression mirrored the grief and regret he could see in Frigga's eyes. Then, a look of determination crossed his face.

"Thor will always be my brother. But he should no longer be king."

 

 

 


	37. In Free Fall

Shiari returned in the late evening to apply another layer of the skaða potion to Layla's injuries, and she was alarmed when she entered the room to see her friend sitting on her bed, gazing into nothingness with a blank expression on her pale face. She didn't even bother to return Shiari's greeting.

"Layla?" Shiari said softly, "Are you okay?"

The emptiness in the girl's eyes as she lifted her head to return Shiari's gaze was enough of an answer for the worried maid. She sat down on the bed and took Layla's hand, noticing with a frown that her skin was icecold.

"Are you cold? Do you want another blanket?"

Layla shook her head. "I'm fine." Her voice was small and toneless.

Shiari eyed her carefully. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

The silence between them was deafening. When Shiari noticed the untouched tray with food on the nightstand, she frowned.

"Hey, you didn't eat. Aren't you hungry?"

"No, not really."

And again, they lapsed into silence.

"I talked to the queen today", Shiari said eventually, determined to cheer Layla up somehow, "She said that I shouldn't worry about you and that everything's going to be alright, she -"

Layla's voice was bitter when she interrupted her friend. "So she's going to let me go?"

"Let you go?"

"Yes. Free me. Let me go home." Layla choked on the last word, and she felt tears stinging in her eyes.

Shiari looked at her, heartbroken. "Layla -"

"As long as she's not going to let me go, nothing's going to be alright for me, Shiari. Ever. I'm a slave in this world, I'm nothing, and unless the queen's going to release me, I would be better off dead."

"Please don't talk like that!"

When tears started to run down Layla's cheeks, Shiari swallowed hard. "Layla, listen, I'm sure that everything's going to be back to normal soon -"

"Back to normal?" Layla sobbed out, "Don't you know what back to normal means for me? It means living as the prince's whore again, waiting for him to finally kill me -"

Shiari frowned. "But - you and the prince, you seemed to have gotten along extremely well as of late - why -"

Layla just shook her head, weeping copiously, not even trying to stifle her sobs anymore. She had forgotten that she had not told Shiari about Loki and his lies yet.

"You have to think positive, Layla - once King Odin and Queen Frigga have sorted everything out, you'll travel to the Sævar Lake with the prince, and -"

"No, Shiari!" Layla exclaimed, her voice louder than intended, "Nothing of this is going to happen! Loki never wanted to take me to the lake, and there will be no sorting out, and nothing - _nothing -_ is going to be alright, ever again!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I've found out the truth! Loki doesn't give a damn about me - I should have known, none of these royals give a damn about any of us! Loki has been lying to me the whole time!"

Shiari shook her head. "I don't believe that -"

"I'm nothing to Loki, nobody", Layla stated quietly, her sudden surge of anger already ebbed away again, "And I was an idiot for believing in his lies."

"Layla, Brios told me that Prince Loki was worried sick when he found you in the stables, and he -"

"Please, Shiari", Layla interrupted her meekly, "Just - just don't. I can't take this anymore. I know you're trying to cheer me up, but - it's time for me to accept the truth, even if it hurts."

"But what if it's not the truth? Brios said that the prince called you 'my love' when he'd scooped you up to carry you into his chambers, I'm sure he wouldn't have said  that if he didn't mean it!"

"He's also called me 'darling' just as many times as he's called me 'whore'", Layla murmured bitterly, but at the very moment that she heard herself say the word out loud she suddenly realized that this wasn't true - Loki had not called her 'whore' for a very long time, actually. Now that she came to think about it, she was quite sure that she had never heard that word from him again ever since that one night when she had yelled at him to call her by her name.

Maybe there was more to this, after all? Why would Loki call her 'my love' when she hadn't  even been conscious to hear it, otherwise? And Brios had no reason at all to lie to her, had he? But then again - why would a man that cared about her give her to his mad brother? Why would he indulge in the attention of eight other women while she was waiting for him in his rooms? Why wouldn't he care enough to heal her injuries?

Layla closed her eyes. Her head felt threateningly close to burst and the fact that Shiari was still talking about Loki and how Brios was interpreting the prince's behaviour didn't help.

"Please, Shiari", she whispered defeatedly, "Please stop, I can't hear this anymore -"

Shiari nodded, squeezing Layla's hand lightly. "Okay. I'm sorry, Layla. I won't say another word about it. Can I make you feel better somehow?" Her eyes lit up. "Hey, how about taking a bath now, hm?"

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
As challenging as it was, taking a bath indeed helped Layla to feel a little better. When Shiari helped her to return to her room an hour later, Layla felt refreshed and distinctly more alive than before. She had enjoyed the hot water with the scented bathing oils she loved so much and the relaxing warmth had certainly helped with her sore muscles, too. But it had also exhausted her, and her back was stinging awfully, too. Shiari had been as careful as possible with her injuries, but she'd had to at least clean them from the remnants of the ointment before she could apply a new layer of it, and it had taken all of Layla's self-control to not start crying at the searing pain the cleaning had caused.

But as painful as it had been - walking through Loki's room was certainly the hardest challenge that she'd had to face so far. She could almost feel his presence in here - she could smell him, she could see him sitting at his desk and lying in the large bed, waiting for her - and halfway through the painfully familiar room, she had to close her eyes, unable to stand the memories any longer. Thankfully, Shiari didn't comment on it.

When they finally reached Layla's bed again and she slumped down with a heavy sigh, Shiari gave her one of her warm, bright smiles.

"You look much better."

"I feel much better, too", Layla admitted, "Thank you, Shiari."

"You're welcome. Do you want to rest a minute before I'm going to apply the potion?"

"God, yes, please", Layla murmured, her eyes closed.

It took her a moment to catch her breath. When she opened her eyes again, she smiled at Shiari. "Thanks for your help, really. I almost feel human again."

Shiari laughed. "I wish I could say that you look like one, too, but you're the first I've ever seen."

Layla gaped at her. "Seriously? You've never seen a human before?"

"Not as far as I know. Your kind seems to be more popular in Alfheim, there's a lot of mortals there, but both Vanir and Aesir usually - uh - well, most of them usually consider themselves above mortals. So they are in rather little demand in both realms."

"I guess being a mortal _slave_ tops everything when it comes to worthlessness, then", Layla muttered, "No surprise nobody bats an eyelid when I get beaten up."

Shiari eyed Layla carefully. "Layla - did you and Anjali - um, talk?"

Layla frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm just - well, some of the things you say - you just sound a bit like her, so I was wondering -"

"I _sound_ like her?"

Shiari nodded slowly. "The things you said earlier about slaves and how the royal family doesn't care about them -"

Layla snorted. "You can't honestly think that they do."

"Not King Thor, obviously, but King Odin and Queen Frigga have always been righteous rulers and -"

"No, they haven't!" Layla suddenly burst out, "They've let us suffer and die right under their noses and they've never given a damn about us!"

Shiari stared at Layla with wide eyes, and Layla took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Shiari - I didn't mean to yell at you, but - look at everything that's happened to me ever since I was taken from my home - what kind of people would allow this?"

"I know that the asgardian law has its flaws -"

"That's one way to put it."

Shiari lowered her gaze. "I know. I've always thought that they were going to change something about it one day, and until then, I thought it was the best thing to just try to get by somehow."

"You certainly did a good job with that", Layla muttered. When she noticed a hurt look cross Shiari's face, she immediately regretted her words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

Her friend remained silent, and Layla felt tears welling up in her eyes again. "Shiari, I'm really sorry. I'm happy for you, I mean it. But you should stop thinking that there's a fairytale like yours waiting for every slave, because there's definitely not."

Shiari frowned. "You _did_ talk to Anjali, didn't you?"

"Well, yes", Layla replied cautiously, "She was here earlier and we - we talked a little. Why?"

"It's just - she's been acting strange lately and I had the feeling that she's withdrawing from me. Ever since you've got punished, it's become even worse."

Layla bit into her lip and looked down. Of course she knew exactly why Anjali was acting differently, but she couldn't tell Shiari without betraying Anjali's trust and possibly even endangering her life.

Shiari noticed Layla's discomfort immediately. "What's wrong? Is there something I should know?"

"No", Layla replied without hesitating, "Nothing. We've just been talking about, well, slavery in general. It wasn't exactly a cheerful talk, you know."

Shiari hummed. "Listen, Layla, I can only imagine how hard your situation is. But what you need right now is to think positive. Please don't let Anjali get you down even more."

"Get me down?" Layla repeated, her eyes widening in disbelief, "She's not getting me down! I'm starting to think that she's the only one who understands me!"

Again, there was a hurt expression on Shiari's face, and Layla felt a hint of remorse. But Anjali's words kept reverberating in her mind, and she couldn't help but silently agree with her: Shiari had obviously forgotten what it was like to be a slave. How could she possibly accuse Anjali of getting her down? Anjali, who might be spending this very moment trying to fight off this bastard of a king?

"I understand that it feels like that to you, really. But Anjali - she's become rather bitter over the years, and I just don't want you to become the same. She has been a slave for a very long time, Layla, and she's also suffered tragic losses due to the asgardian law. That has left its marks. And I don't want that to - to rub off on you. That's all that I wanted to say."

Layla eyed Shiari with a frown. "Tragic losses?"

Shiari nodded sadly. "I don't want to talk about it without her knowledge. I'm sure she's going to tell you herself one day. Maybe that's the reason why your punishment has affected her so much, too. She was really worried about you." She sighed. "Layla, I love Anjali like a sister. But I know how embittered she is sometimes. I just don't want her to pull you down."

"If anything is going to pull me down, it's this sick royal family, not Anjali who at least sees them the way they are!"

"They're not that bad, Layla - I've been working for them for so long, and King Odin and Queen Frigga are really decent people. I'm sure that -"

Layla huffed. "I can't believe that you're on _their_ side! Have you always been or is it just now that you're something better than us?"

She regretted her words as soon as they left her. Shiari's mouth opened, but she didn't make a sound. Instead, her beautiful golden eyes filled with silent tears.

"Shiari - I'm sorry - I didn't mean to -"

"I don't think of myself as something better than you", the maid said quietly, her voice trembling, "The only difference there is is that I've been lucky enough to be freed. I know that Anjali has never really gotten over that, but I thought that you -" She stopped, swallowing hard, and suddenly rose from the bed. "I should go."

"Please don't", Layla said, carefully standing up from the bed, too, "Please, Shiari - I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I do not begrudge you your freedom, please believe me." She made another step and slowly took Shiari's hands in hers. "The last days have just been hard for me. But it was wrong to let my frustration out on you. I'm sorry."

Shiari finally lifted her gaze to look at Layla, and a small smile appeared on her beautiful, tear-stained face. "It's okay."

"No, it's not", Layla replied firmly, shaking her head, "Nothing of this is your fault. You have always been there for me, Shiari, and I never meant to -"

"It's okay", Shiari interrupted her, "Really. I know what you're going through at the moment."

When Layla opened her mouth again, Shiari chuckled softly. "Stop apologizing. It's okay. Trust me, I've heard much worse from Anjali back when I got married."

Layla shook her head frantically. "I want you to know that I am genuinely happy for you. I mean it. It's just that - over the last months, I've been telling myself that maybe, if this fairytale could happen to you, then maybe it could happen to me, too - that, maybe, Loki has some kind of feelings for me, and that maybe - maybe -" She swallowed. "And now that I've finally realized that everything has been a lie -"

When her voice broke, Shiari wrapped her arms around her friend and pulled her into a soft embrace.

"Listen, Layla - I know you don't want to hear this. But Brios said that he's never seen the prince treat anybody the way he's treated you before, and he's known him for a really long time. Not everything has been a lie. The prince does care about you, believe me."

She guided her friend back to the bed and slowly sat down with her to pull her into a gentle embrace.

"Everything's going to be alright, Layla. I've never believed in being freed, either, but sometimes, miracles just happen. And until then, you'll have to believe in them and hold on. You're not alone in this. I'm with you, and Anjali's with you, and your little horse is with you, too. Hey, can you imagine that she literally tried to bite Brios' hand off when he wanted to get closer to you?"

Layla let out a tearful chuckle. "Really?"

"Yes, I had to treat his hand with some ointment, too - she gave him a pretty nasty bite. That's why he went looking for the prince - he didn't dare to get too close to her again. And that man calls himself the Crown Equerry!"

For a moment, Layla was fighting the urge to laugh out. "Is he okay?"

"Oh yes, he is. But I'm telling you, you've found one hell of a friend in this horse. What's her name again?"

"Alamea", Layla whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

Shiari couldn't know - nobody in this world knew - why she had chosen this name for the shy horse, and Layla was suddenly overcome by an agonizingly strong feeling of homesickness. She missed her mom, she missed her dad, and she missed her little Sophia. As long as she had been able to escape into this sweet fantasy of being more than just a random slave for the cruel prince, she had had something to hold on to - but now she was in free fall, and she couldn't help but feel like a little girl that had gotten lost and was desperately crying for someone, _anyone_ to find her.

Taking a deep breath, Layla tried hard not to get drowned by the sudden surge of sadness and despair, but she could already feel a fresh wave of relentless tears pooling in her eyes, and she bit into her tongue to keep them at bay.

When Shiari noticed how hard Layla was trembling, she pulled her even closer, determined to give her some comfort. Eventually, she started to stroke over Layla's hair, not knowing, of course, that it was the same thing that Loki had always done to soothe his little mortal, and she felt utterly helpless when her friend broke down and started to cry bitterly on her shoulder.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It had been an uncomfortable, restless night for Layla; the wonderfully sweet and soothing dreams of Loki often interrupted from terrible nightmares, and when she woke up from her own screams for the third time, she was relieved to see that the dawn was finally breaking. Either Shiari or Anjali would come soon to bring her breakfast, and while Layla usually loved to sleep as long as she could, she was now too scared of another nightmare to go back to sleep, so she decided to stay awake and have a look at the books that Anjali had brought her from the palace library.

She was more or less indifferent when she found books from Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde and was already about to put the books aside again when she suddenly found herself holding a copy of _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ in her hands. It took her a long, confused moment to realize what she was looking at. Eventually, an incredulous smile crossed her face, and she held her breath when she opened the book and let her fingertips run over the very familiar words.

_God bless you, Anjali._

Devouring the first page of the book even though she literally knew it by heart, Layla was overcome with amazement. Really, what were the odds that a library of another world actually had a copy of _Harry Potter_? It was even the same edition that she had at home! She would have sent a grateful prayer to God if she had not spent the last months enduring being abused in every possible way by no less than two gods.

Layla was so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for this little piece of home that she had to close her eyes for a moment, pressing the book against her chest like a treasured friend, before she could return to reading.

She barely made it through the first chapter until her door opened and Shiari entered the room.

"Good morning, Layla. How are you?"

"I'm great - look at this!"

Shiari eyed the colourful book curiously. "What is that?"

Layla beamed at her. "It's my favourite book from my home, it was one of the books Anjali borrowed from the library for me! I can't believe I've never noticed it in the midgardian section!"

"It seems to be a truly magical book - you look amazing, compared with -"

She stocked, and Layla couldn't help but laugh. "Compared with how pitiful I looked yesterday?"

"That was not what - uh - anyways, you look amazing!"

Layla looked down at the book and smiled fondly at it. "I know that it's kind of stupid - but it's a book that has always meant a lot to me and to have it here -" She shrugged, then winced at the pain the movement evoked.

Shiari placed the tray with Layla's breakfast on her nightstand and sat down on her bed. "Does it hurt more than yesterday?"

"No, not at all. It gets better everyday. It's just some movements that hurt - and I keep forgetting that." She grimaced before she gave her friend a smile. "That's one hell of an ointment you're giving me there. It works wonders."

"It's extremely effective", Shiari agreed and gave Layla a careful look before she added, "Prince Loki invented it, actually."

Layla stiffened. Just the mention of Loki was enough to dampen her cheerful mood again.

"Really", she said blankly, and Shiari nodded.

"Yes, he is a master of potions and he's created this one, too. Its original purpose was to heal fatal diseases, but it can also be used as an ointment for injuries. The queen told me that the prince has personally demanded that you be treated with this potion."

Now that caught Layla's attention. "What? Isn't it the usual ointment for injuries?"

Shiari shook her head. "Oh no, not at all. It's usually reserved for the royal family or, well, equally important people. It's incredibly rare, you know."

Layla stared at her friend in utter confusion. "It's rare?"

"Yes, as far as I know, the ingredients are extremely hard to find and it is very difficult to be brewed. Prince Loki is the only one in Asgard who knows how to do it." Shiari smiled at the wide-eyed Layla. "That's one of the things I tried to tell you about yesterday. You weren't even listening, huh?"

Layla could vaguely remember how desperately she had been trying to block out Shiari when she had not stopped talking about the prince, and she blushed.

"But - but that doesn't make any sense", she stuttered eventually, "Why would he waste a rare healing ointment on me instead of just healing me himself?"

Shiari frowned. "He can't heal these injuries. Didn't you know that? Injuries from a royal punishment cannot be healed."

These words stirred something in Layla, something buried deep inside of her mind.

"Yeah, I think somebody told me that", she said slowly, "But I completely forgot about it -"

"No magic would have any impact on injuries that were induced by a royal penalty", Shiari explained, "Even usual ointments aren't as effective because they are usually crafted with some kind of magical assistance, you know."

Layla's head was swimming. "And - and the prince wanted me to be treated with this special ointment?"

"He even applied it to your injuries himself the first times. You don't remember that? I only started to do it when he was put in prison."

A sudden memory shot through Layla's mind. Kind, green eyes, a gentle touch and softly spoken words.

_I cannot heal your wounds like I did before, and it will hurt a bit. But I will be careful and I promise that you will feel better when I am done._

"Yes!" she said loudly, "Loki was the one who told me about it! How could I forget that?"

"You've been through a lot", Shiari said softly, "It's no surprise that you don't remember everything that has happened. But, Layla - the prince has never used his skaða potion on anybody before, and he's never let anybody outside of the royal family use it, either."

"There must be a reason for that", Layla murmured stubbornly, even though she had to admit that she was quite confused. "But at least now I know that he didn't just refuse healing me because he wanted me to suffer."

"Quite the contrary", Shiari reminded her, but Layla didn't comment on that, and she sighed. "Well, anyways - do you want to have your breakfast before I use the potion?"

Layla nodded absent-mindedly. Somehow, this new information was irritating her even more. So Loki had actually not been capable to heal her, and he had been the one who had decided to let her use this special ointment - but why, if he had been the one to send her to Thor in the first place? He must have known that she was about to get hurt there. Wait - what was it that Thor had said?

_My brother asked me not to injure you too severely so he can still take you to the Sævar Lake tomorrow. I think he plans to fuck you into oblivion there._

A pang shot through her heart at the memory of those words, and she swallowed hard. So Loki had just wanted Thor to remind her of her place, but not to injure her the way he had. Maybe he had felt guilty when he had seen her injuries and that was why he had decided to use his special ointment on her. But he could have just sent her to the healer's rooms like he had done when she had arrived here - why the hell would he bother to take care of her himself?

"Layla? Are you okay?"

She looked up to see Shiari's concerned gaze and quickly gave her a smile. "Yeah, just a little tired. I didn't sleep well. Did you happen to see Anjali this morning?"

"No, not yet - why?"

"I just wanted to thank her for the book", Layla lied and took a bite of her fruit pastry so Shiari couldn't see how worried Layla was about their mutual friend.

"She's supposed to bring your lunch, so you're going to see her later."

"Okay. If you see her before lunch, could you tell her to come and visit me as soon as she can?"

 

 

* * *

 

 

A few hours later, a knock yanked Layla out of Harry's first quidditch lesson, and she quickly closed the book. She frowned when she saw Ophelia with a tray of food in her hands.

"Hello, my dear. How are you?"

"Ophelia, hello - uh - I'm - I'm okay."

Ophelia eyed her warily. "You do not sound very sure about that."

"Well - I'm mostly okay", Layla murmured and gave Ophelia a questioning look. "Where's Anjali?"

"The poor girl doesn't feel good. I gave her a day off."

Layla felt her stomach churn. "She doesn't feel good?"

Ophelia sighed. "She didn't want to go to our healers, but if she doesn't feel better by tonight, I will drag her there myself. Stubborn girl."

"But - what's wrong with her? Is it - something serious?"

When the head housemaid gave her a long look, Layla knew that she shouldn't have asked.

"Layla, is there anything you or Anjali want to tell me?"

Layla shook her head, but Ophelia didn't seem to be convinced.

"Why do I have the feeling that there's something going on that I should know about?"

"There's not", Layla tried to assure her, "I'm just worried because she's sick."

Ophelia hummed thoughtfully. "There is no need to worry, child. Anjali will be fine. I'm much more worried about you. Last time I was here, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to speak to you again. You were still unconscious, my dear", she added at Layla's confused expression, "Which is no surprise - Shiari told me that you have received _thirty_ lashes!"

"That seems to be unusual", Layla stated, and Ophelia shook her head.

"Unusual, yes, definitely. I can't even remember the last time anyone has been sentenced to more than ten lashes."

She eyed Layla carefully, and Layla knew that she was wondering what Layla could have done to deserve this punishment. But if there was one thing she didn't want to talk about, it was this particular night.

"Ophelia, can I ask you something?"

The elder woman smiled warmly. "Everything, child."

Layla took a deep breath. "If someone - for example the king - ever did something to a slave that he is not allowed to do - is there anything we can do against it?"

"Of course", Ophelia said, her eyes locked with Layla's, "That would be unacceptable."

"What would you do in such a case?"

"Well - if this someone was indeed the king - then we would talk to the rest of the royal family and they would be obligated to advise him to not do so again."

"But - what if - what if he didn't care?"

"Then there would be a hearing to discuss the king's infringement and its consequences."

Layla bit into her lip. "What consequences?"

Ophelia cocked her head. "That depends on the severity of the situation. Layla - what is going on? You do know that you can tell me anything, don't you?"

Layla lowered her gaze to escape the head housemaid's eyes. She didn't know what was right and wrong anymore. She trusted Ophelia, and yes, talking to her had been helpful before, too - but Anjali was right, wasn't she; in the long run, it had not helped her at all. But maybe Shiari was right, too - maybe Anjali had indeed become so bitter that she just couldn't think clearly anymore. On the other hand - Shiari still believed in the righteousness of King Odin, too - could she, Layla, really trust her judgment?

What if she told Ophelia about Anjali and everything would get even worse for her? But then again - what if she _didn't_ tell her about Anjali and everything would get worse for her? She would never forgive herself if anything were to happen to Anjali while she had stayed silent. What was worse now? Should she betray Anjali's trust and talk to Ophelia, or should she just stand aside and watch her friend go through the same horror that she'd had to endure?

"Layla?" Ophelia insisted, "What did King Thor do to you?"

_There's nothing we can do, Layla, at least not without putting my life on the line._

"Nothing yet", Layla replied meekly, "I was just - just worried about what he might do."

Ophelia didn't seem satisfied with her answer. "Layla, I have a feeling that you are not entirely honest with me. See, I have already spoken to the king because of your drastic punishment, and he stated that you rejected his commands. Is that really true?"

Layla swallowed. "I - I didn't want to - I tried to obey him, really -"

"What happened?"

Ophelia's voice was soft, but Layla was already shaking her head frantically before she had even finished her question.

"Nothing happened, I didn't do as he told me and I got punished for it - please, I really don't want to talk about that night anymore -"

Her voice broke, and Ophelia took her hand.

"It's okay, my dear. You can tell me later if you want to. And if there is anything - _anything at all_ \- that I can do for you, please let me know."

Again, Layla nodded, not looking at Ophelia while she did. "Thank you, Ophelia."

Ophelia smiled. "You're welcome. Now eat, child, you need to recover."

When Layla reached for her plate, the older maid squeezed her hand and rose from the bed.

"You know where to find me, my dear, if you ever need to talk to me."

As soon as Ophelia had left her room, Layla put her plate back on the tray. She was too flustered to eat anything. The head housemaid's last words had made her realize something that was so obvious that she didn't understand why she had not thought about it sooner, and the sudden realization had tied her stomach into a painful knot.

Because there was only one person that she truly needed to talk to - and she knew exactly where to find this person.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Layla had waited until it was evening to put her plan into action, hoping that she wouldn't meet anybody on her little excursion, but she had barely entered the corridor that was leading to the slaves' bedrooms when she already heard Ophelia's surprised voice behind herself.

"Layla! What are you doing here? Why are you not in bed?"

She gave the concerned maid a weak smile. "Hello, Ophelia - I - I just wanted to visit Anjali."

"Child, you should be resting! Come, I'll accompany you back to -"

Layla shook her pounding head. "I want to see Anjali. _Please._ "

Admittedly, coming down here had taken a heavy toll on Layla - she felt utterly exhausted, her legs were shaking from the effort of carrying her weight and both her head and her back were hurting terribly. But she had made it to the slave quarters, and she was determined to make it to Anjali's room, too.

Ophelia must have noticed the look of grim determination on Layla's face - she let out a deep sigh and nodded reluctantly. "Well, then. Come with me."

She linked her arm to Layla's to support her and slowly led her through the quarters. They passed a couple of small rooms until they reached a door at the end of the corridor that Ophelia knocked on before she opened it.

Layla walked in slowly. She had never been in Anjali's room before, and she was surprised to see that it was distinctly smaller than her room in Loki's chambers. It also looked much less comfortable - most of the room was occupied by the wooden bed with the plain white bedsheets that Anjali was sitting on. Apart from the bed, there was only a narrow wardrobe with two slave gowns hanging in it, a small cabinet with two drawers and a washbasin in one of the corners. The walls were white and completely empty except for a single shelf with a mirror, a framed picture and a couple of other items. The whole room lacked any kind of decoration or character, and for a brief moment, Layla couldn't help but think that this tiny, plain room was mirroring the royals' view on their slaves perfectly - they were nobody, nothing to them - no individuals, no persons, just utterly irrelevant workers that were completely exchangeable.

Layla swallowed, her gaze flickering through the room until it finally landed on Anjali's pale face that was already staring at her in surprise.

"Layla! What - why -?"

"Our dear Layla has insisted on visiting you, Anjali", Ophelia explained, her scolding tone betraying what she was thinking of Layla's idea of leaving her bed.

Anjali frowned. "You came here to visit me? But you should -"

"- be resting, I know", Layla replied, rolling her eyes, "I've been resting for days now, a little walk through the palace is not going to kill me."

 _As long as I don't encounter Thor, that is,_ Layla thought, and she could read the very same thought in Anjali's expression.

Layla frowned when she finally had a proper look at her. She looked as if she hadn't slept much, with skin even paler than usual and dark circles underneath her red-rimmed eyes.

"Anjali - how are you?"

Anjali lowered her gaze. "I'm okay - I just - I just didn't feel well today."

Layla glanced at Ophelia, but the elder maid obviously didn't plan on leaving them alone.

"Is it this - uh - _sickness_ we were talking about yesterday? Did it get worse?"

Thankfully, Anjali picked up on the hint. She gave Layla a sad smile. "Yeah. But don't worry, it wasn't as - uh - nauseous as I had feared."

Ophelia's suspicious gaze was wandering between the two women. "Is there anything I should know?"

Layla gave Anjali a pleading look that Anjali returned for a moment before she shook her head.

"No, nothing, Ophelia. I told you, I'm already better."

Ophelia hummed, still eyeing Anjali cautiously, before she turned her head to look at Layla. "Well, my dear, if you wish to stay here for a moment, you should at least sit down. I will get you two a cup of tea."

Layla carefully sat down next to Anjali when Ophelia left the room, leaving the two alone with nothing but a heavy silence.

"Cosy little room, my sweet home, huh?" Anjali said eventually, her voice bitter. "That's what I've been living in for almost four centuries now. It wasn't so bad when Shiari was still here - we shared one of the bigger rooms back then. Well, the room was just as empty as this one, of course, but at least I wasn't alone, you know." She made a gesture at the room and let out a cold chuckle. "The furniture and clothes are all royal property and the only other things that I have is the stuff that Shiari has given me ever since she's earning her own money. Pathetic, huh?"

Layla swallowed. "Anjali - what -"

For a split second, cold fury flashed over Anjali's face. Then, she lowered her gaze and stared at her crisp, white bedsheets. "I'm okay, Layla. He was rough, but my kind isn't half as fragile as you mortals are, and one of the healers sneaked in with an ointment last night. Most of my injuries are already healed. I'll be fine, really."

"I'm so sorry", Layla whispered after a moment, her eyes glistening with tears.

Anjali shrugged. "It's not like I didn't see it coming."

She sounded casual, but Layla could hear the barely audible pain in her voice; she could see how the girl's chafed lips were trembling, and she reached out her hand, placing it next to Anjali's. Anjali hesitated for a short moment before she took it and squeezed it lightly. For a moment, the two women were sitting in silence. Eventually, Anjali heaved a deep sigh.

"I guess we're sex slave sisters now."

Layla let out a strange sound somewhere between a sob and a laughter. "God, Anjali, that was terrible!"

Anjali tilted her head to the side, but immediately winced at the movement. When she caught Layla's questioning gaze, she gave her a crooked smile.

"He wasn't amused when I called him King Thot. I seriously thought he was going to break my neck at that one."

"You didn't!"

"I did. I'd promised you matching scars, after all."

Layla's eyes widened even more. "You were flogged?"

"No, I wasn't. I have no idea why, though - good old King Thot sure was pissed off."

Anjali let out a laugh that almost made her sound like herself again, and Layla couldn't help but join her. After a few moments of breathless laughter, Layla burst out "I called Loki a godly fuckhead once."

The two women were shaking with laughter, and they couldn't even stop when they both already had streams of tears running down their faces. Neither of them knew if they were still laughing or crying by now.

Maybe it was both.

It wasn't until Ophelia entered the room with a tray in her hands that they finally managed to calm down. The elder woman put the tray with two cups of tea and a few cookies between the girls, eyeing them warily, but she didn't say a word when Anjali assured her that everything was fine. When she had left again, Anjali gave Layla a genuine smile.

"Thank you. I really needed a laugh." She hesitated before she asked, "And how are you?"

"Better than before. I was worried sick when Ophelia told me that you had to take a day off." Layla glanced at Anjali. "You know - she said that she had actually confronted Thor because of my punishment. I'm sure if you told her what -"

"Please, Layla, don't", Anjali interrupted her quietly, "I told you, it would only make things worse."

"But maybe -"

"No. Trust me, I know this realm and its people better than you do."

Layla bit into her lip. "But if you don't tell anyone and return to work -"

"I know. He'll do it again."

"But we can't let that happen!"

"I have no other choice", Anjali murmured, and her voice was so small and desolate that Layla reached out and took her hand again.

"We have to do something", she urged, "We have to stop this, we have to tell someone who's going to help you -"

"Gods damn it, nobody's going to help me!" Anjali suddenly burst out, "Why don't you get that, _you stupid mortal!_ Nobody's on my side, nobody gives a fuck about me - there's no charming guy who's going to release and marry me one day, there's no social unrest when I get raped, there's no family waiting for me to return - there is nothing - _I am nothing_ here in Asgard!"

Layla had flinched when her friend had suddenly started yelling, and she was still staring at Anjali in disbelief when her sudden outburst ended. For a moment, they locked eyes. Then, Anjali burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry, Layla", she sobbed out, "I didn't mean to - I just - I don't know what's gotten into me -"

Swallowing hard, Layla shook her head. "It's - it's okay -"

"I - it was just too much - I'm _sorry_ -"

"Forget it", Layla replied, though her stomach was suddenly feeling queasy, "It's okay, really."

Nobody except for Thor and Loki had ever called her a mortal to insult her before, and even though Layla gave her best to not give too much weight to it, she could still feel the ruthless echo of her friend's thoughtless words sting sharply in her chest.

 _She's just upset,_ Layla told herself, _She didn't mean it -_

Anjali was watching Layla ruefully, tears still trickling down her flushed cheeks. "Layla, please forgive me - I didn't mean it -"

Layla gave her a smile. "Forget it. Really. I shouted at Shiari this morning, too - I guess we're both just - uh -"

"Nervous wrecks?" Anjali suggested, and Layla couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah. That's one way to put it."

Anjali wiped her tears away and let out a sigh. "Gods, Layla, I'm such a bitch. You come here to visit me and I start shouting at you."

"It's okay", Layla repeated mechanically and tried to give Anjali a reassuring smile.

But Anjali shook her head. "No, it's not. Seriously. Is there anything I can do to make up for this?"

Layla had already opened her mouth to tell her that there was no need for her to do anything at all - when she suddenly remembered the other reason she'd had for her visit. She had almost forgotten about it over the conversation with Anjali.

"Well", she said slowly after a long moment, "Maybe there really is something you can do. I mean, I had planned to ask you anyway -"

"What?"

"Uh - well - I've been thinking a lot, and - there's something that I have to do, and I thought that you might be able to help me with it."

Anjali frowned. "Yeah? What is it?"

Layla took a deep breath before she replied.

"I have to sneak into the dungeons."

 

 


	38. A Piece Of The Puzzle

The wonderful Jenn has sent me this beautiful picture and I just had to share it with you - it's a quote from Loki from one of the previous chapters.  
Thank you so much, dear Jenn!!

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Anjali gaped at Layla and blinked a few times, as if reassuring herself that she was really there and not just some kind of illusion.

"Into the _dungeons?_ What the hell for?"

"I have to talk to Loki."

A mixture of pity and fear crossed Anjali's face. "Sweetie, I really don't think that's a good idea -"

"It probably isn't", Layla agreed with a faint smile, "But I just - I want to know what I am to him. Shiari keeps telling me that Loki cares about me, but that doesn't really make any sense - but then again, if he didn't care about me at all, why would he have done all the things he's done for me? It's - I feel like there's a piece of the puzzle missing and I just can't see the whole picture -"

"I know how confused you are", Anjali said sympathetically, "And I understand how badly you want to believe that you're more than just a slave for the prince. But - listen, I've been here for so long, and I've seen the prince's pleasure slaves come and go - they all got to this point eventually, you know -"

Layla swallowed hard. "But Shiari said that the prince acts differently with me - and Brios said that he's even called me 'my love' -" She shook her head when Anjali's blue eyes were filled with pity again. "I don't know what to think anymore, and I just want to know the truth."

"What if you don't like the truth?" Anjali said carefully, "Did you ever think of that?"

"Of course I did. I can't think of anything else. But - Anjali, I don't just _want_ to know the truth, I _need_ to. Whether I like it or not."

"It's probably a big, fat 'not'", Anjali murmured, "I'm really not sure, Layla - I don't want you to get hurt even more."

"More?" Layla huffed, "How the hell can I get hurt more? I'm about to lose my mind, Anjali! I can't take this anymore -"

"But do you really think that it's going to help you to speak with the prince?"

Layla shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. I think it's worth a try. Things can't get any worse than they are now, can they? And -" she added determinedly, "I'm going to sneak in there with or without your help. But without your help, I guess chances are higher that I'm gonna get flogged again."

"Come on, sweetie -"

"I mean it", Layla said firmly.

Anjali looked at her for a long moment before her expression finally changed and she let out a long, deep sigh. "Well, alright." She shot Layla a suspicious look. "Why did you ask me of all people for help?"

"Who else could I possibly ask?" Layla replied, irritated, "I doubt that Ophelia or Shiari would help me with this."

"Because they're far more reasonable than I am, I guess", Anjali muttered.

Layla chose to ignore that. "So you're going to help me?"

"Of course I am."

"Thank you", Layla said, her voice hoarse. She felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was going to talk to Loki, she was about to know the truth - finally. Whether it was going to be to her liking or not - nothing could be worse than the uncertainty she was living with right now. Things could only get better from now on. Maybe she could even talk to Loki about Anjali's problem with Thor; maybe he knew what they could do to protect her from him.

She took a sip of the tea that Ophelia had made them and pushed the plate with cookies over to Anjali.

"So how are we going to do it?"

Anjali, chewing on one of the cookies, looked at her. "It's not that hard, actually. There are guards down there but they keep strolling up and down the hallway, so we can easily sneak past them. If you know how to do it, it's not a problem at all."

Layla gave her a smirk. "Do I even wanna know why exactly you _'know how to do it'_?"

Smiling sadly, Anjali raised her shoulders. "My brother was down there for a while."

Layla's eyes widened, her grin instantly gone. "Your brother?"

"Yes. Halvard." Anjali's voice became soft when she said his name. "He was a few decades older than me. The typical big brother. Always looked after me, always there to bail me out when I messed up."

Her throat suddenly tight, Layla carefully asked, "What happened to him?"

Anjali glanced at her before her gaze wandered off again. "He was sentenced to a century in the palace's dungeons. I sneaked down there to see him as many times as I could. That's how I know how to do it." She paused for a moment, staring at the wall with an unusually soft and vulnerable expression on her face. "He has always been a very sensitive person, you know. And all these years of solitude, being locked up... it was wearing him out. I could watch him wither away." Anjali's voice broke, and she had to clear her throat before she continued. "After a little more than two decades, he fell ill. He would've needed a special potion, but the royals refused to give it to him - it was obviously too expensive for some random prisoner. I sneaked in as much food as I could to help him regain his strength - that's how I've become so good at stealing stuff", she added with a bitter tone. "I could even get ahold of some healing potions and herbs to strengthen him. But it wasn't enough. Every day that I came to see him, he'd gotten even worse. Until that one day when I sneaked down into the dungeons and found myself standing in front of an empty cell. They hadn't even bothered to tell me."

Layla felt her heart clench up. She reached out to take Anjali's hand, her eyes filled with tears. "My god, I'm so, so sorry - I had no idea -"

"Shiari is the only one who knows", Anjali said quietly, "She was there for me when - when it all happened. Well, originally, the royal family knew about it, too, but I suppose that they've long forgotten about Halvard."

"When -?"

"Almost three centuries ago. But not a single day goes past that I don't think of him."

"I'm so sorry, Anjali -"

The blonde woman gave Layla a faint smile. "It's okay. At least now you know why I despise the royal family so much. They don't give a damn about us, Layla. Not about me, not about you."

Layla swallowed. "I need to hear it, Anjali", she whispered, "I - I know that you're probably right, but I just need to hear it from Loki himself so I can - move on. You don't have to come with me, just tell me how I can get past these guards."

"Oh come on, you should know me better by now. Of course I'll come with you."

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

They sat in silence for a while, never letting go of each other's hands, until Layla looked back at Anjali.

"May I ask you why Halvard got imprisoned?"

A strange expression flickered over Anjali's face and she gave Layla a teary smile. "I haven't heard anybody say his name in a long time." She took a deep breath. "He broke into the palace to get me out of here. But he was caught before he could even get to the slave quarters."

Layla stared at Anjali, too shocked to say a word.

"He wanted to free me", Anjali murmured, "Because he couldn't stand the thought of me being at the mercy of these royal rats, as he called them. Thank the stars that he can't see me now as a plaything for the king himself."

"That's not your fault!" Layla exclaimed, squeezing the woman's hand tightly.

"I know. But that doesn't make it any better."

"I'm sure he would be proud of you", Layla said firmly, "You're so strong -"

Anjali looked up to meet Layla's gaze. Crystal tears were hanging in her long, black lashes as she whispered, "No, he wouldn't. He was a really good person, you know. He - he didn't deserve any of this." She swallowed hard, her gaze shifting away again, and Layla suddenly noticed that her eyes kept flickering to the shelf opposite of them.

"Is that a picture of him in that frame?" she asked softly, and Anjali nodded silently.

Layla rose from the bed and slowly approached the wall with the shelf. There was a worn, leather bound book lying next to a pencil, a pretty blue bracelet and a hair clip on the right side of the shelf. On the left, there was only the silvery picture frame with a white candle standing in front of it.

She turned her head and looked at Anjali, wordlessly asking for her permission, and when Anjali nodded, she took the frame from the shelf and returned to the bed, sitting down next to her friend again. Without looking at it, she handed Anjali the picture, and the girl took it with trembling fingers. She turned it around and let her fingertips brush over the picture before she showed it Layla.

There was a tall, slim and incredibly handsome guy with light blonde, almost silvery hair and a kind face with shiny blue eyes and a bright smile on it. He had his arm around a younger girl that was looking up at him, laughing heartily, her long, curly blonde hair blowing freely in the wind.

Layla looked back at Anjali. "You two look so happy. And Halvard looks like such a sweet guy."

Anjali swallowed. It took her a moment to reply, "He was. You would have liked him."

"I'm sure I would have."

"And he would have liked you, too", she whispered, closing her eyes.

They sat in silence for a while until Layla smiled at Anjali. "You know, with your hair all curly, you look almost like an angel - all sweet and innocent."

Anjali gritted her teeth. "Yes, a sweet and innocent angel. Until that angel was brought to Asgard."

Layla swallowed hard. She could understand Anjali's bitterness even better now - not only had she lost her freedom when she was brought to Asgard, her brother had lost his very life because of her being a royal slave, too. She eyed her carefully.

"Did you ever try to run away from here?"

"There's no point", Anjali murmured, "I'd never make it home, anyways - there's no way to leave Asgard except for the bifrost, and the bifrost is guarded. I'd get caught sooner or later." When she caught Layla's questioning gaze, she added, "Halvard was a skilled mage. He knew other ways to travel between the realms."

"I ran away once", Layla murmured, "But Loki found me. Fortunately, I should say, or this beast in the forest would have killed me."

She caught herself wondering if she would have preferred being ripped apart by the beast had she known what her future in Asgard was holding for her, and she quickly decided that she would rather not think about it.

"Maybe the two of us should run away together", Anjali mused, "We'd have to stay somewhere in Asgard, of course, but at least we'd be free - there's a lot of people here who are against the slave laws, you know. It's almost like a small resistance movement by now, so we could probably find someone to help us. I never dared to give it a try, but if we'd go together -"

Layla bit her lip. Months ago, she would probably have taken Anjali's idea into consideraton - oh, who was she kidding, they would already be on their way out of the palace. But as much as she hated to admit it - things had changed. _She_ had changed. _Loki had changed her._

The idea of leaving the palace to live on her own somewhere out in this foreign world sounded downright terrifying to her. If she forgot about the latest developments for a moment, her life in the palace seemed like a paradise to her - a fenced paradise, but a paradise nevertheless, and as long as there was still a faint chance that Loki cared about her after all, she wasn't even willing to consider running away anymore. If Loki had so much as a fraction of the affection for her as she had for him, she would gladly choose living in the palace as his slave over a life as a free, but lonely escapee somewhere on the streets of Asgard.

When her eyes met Anjali's, she could very clearly read the same thought that was reverberating in her own mind inside of them - _my god, you're pathetic._

"You want to stay with him", Anjali stated, incapable to hide her disappointment.

Layla swallowed. "I - I know, it sounds pathetic - but if he cares for me - if I mean anything to him at all -"

Anjali didn't reply. She took the picture from Layla and stared at it for a very long moment, completely lost in her thoughts. Eventually, she nodded, clearing her throat.

"Then let's find out."

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was another sleepless night and an even more stressful morning for Layla. The prospect of seeing Loki again was turning her stomach, and even though she had spent the entire night pondering about whether she should follow her plan or not, she still hadn't come to a decision.

When Anjali entered her room with her lunch, she felt like a nervous wreck.

"Hey, Anjali - how was your morning?"

"Great", the girl replied happily, "Queen Frigga was around when I came to clean his chambers, so he didn't even look at me."

"Thank god."

Placing the tray on Layla's nightstand, Anjali returned her smile and sat down next to her.

"And I did my homework, too. Turned out your dear prince is a little bit better protected than my brother was - but I could sweet talk one of the guards into telling me their day's schedule, so we can sneak in when they have their change of shift and the prince's dungeon is unguarded."

"Okay", Layla murmured, her stomach tied up in knots.

It had seemed like a good idea to go and see Loki, to speak to him, to finally ask him the questions she should have asked him a long time ago - but all that she was feeling right now was an overwhelming anxiousness that was nagging at her insides.

Anjali frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I - maybe this is a stupid idea."

"Come on! You're the one that wanted to talk to him, remember?"

Layla nodded. "Yes - but - what if I don't like what he has to say?"

Anjali lowered her gaze before saying quietly, "But what if you do?" When Layla looked at her in surprise, she shrugged. "I've been thinking about everything that Shiari has said. Maybe there is something in it, after all."

"But - but - you always said -"

"I know", Anjali murmured, looking down again, "I know what I said. But just because nobody ever cared about me doesn't have to mean that the same goes for you, does it? Maybe Shiari is right. I mean, she's close to the royals, after all, isn't she?"

Layla raised her shoulders.

"Let's give your prince a chance, Layla. Maybe he's going to surprise us."

"I can't believe that we're having this conversation", Layla mumbled, and Anjali gave her an almost apologetic smile.

"I know - it's like we've changed roles since yesterday, huh?"

Layla sighed. "Okay. You take the responsibility, though", she added with a small smile and laughed at the remorseful expression on Anjali's face. "So, when do we go?"

Anjali cleared her throat. "In two hours. We need to be there in time."

"But - but it's the middle of the day, won't people see us?"

"Yeah. That's why I brought you this -", Anjali handed Layla one of her dull-golden gowns, "- and I'm going to braid your hair, it's too conspicuous. Then we'll just have to pick up two trays with food from the kitchen and it's going to look as if we were two common slaves carrying lunch into the dungeons."

Layla touched the soft material of the gown, not convinced by Anjali's plan. "Won't people recognize me?"

Anjali shrugged. "If you're wearing the slave gown and carry a tray, nobody will do more than just glance at you, if at all. Nobody cares about slaves. Just keep your head down, don't look at anybody and don't say a word." When she noticed Layla's doubtful expression, she smirked. "Trust me, the hardest thing will be to steal the trays with food without Ophelia noticing it."

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
It wasn't until she was already following Anjali down the stairs into the dungeons that Layla realized that she was about to enter the very same part of the castle that she had spent some of the most frightening and painful moments of her entire life in. She hesitated, her suddenly trembling fingers clenching around the tray with food they were holding, and she had to take a deep breath to steady herself and keep walking.

When they reached the dungeons, Layla swallowed. She had only vague memories of this place - nothing but small fractures of painful pictures that were flashing through her mind - but the anxious, overwhelming feelings these dark, dimly-lit corridors were evoking in her were anything but vague.

"Put your tray here", Anjali whispered, gesturing at a small wooden table, "We'll pick them up when we'll leave."

She led her through a long, dark hallway that Layla didn't remember, and for a while, the two women were walking side by side without saying a word. There were a few closed doors that they passed, and Layla gave her best not to ponder too much about what might be going on behind them. She couldn't hear anything, though - not a single sound; it was absolutely silent down here, and somehow, Layla found that even more frightening than the screams of horror and pain she had anxiously been expecting to hear.

When they reached a crossway, Anjali stopped to give Layla a careful look.

"The cells are down the left. Sweetie - are you sure about this?"

Layla returned Anjali's look nervously, but nodded and motioned for Anjali to keep going. The maid bit her lip and nodded, too, before turning to the left. Layla took a deep, shaky breath and followed her friend silently, her throat too tight to say a single word. Her stomach felt like a tight knot, her heart was hammering painfully fast against her ribcage and her fingers and legs were trembling with fear. She was fighting an almost overwhelming urge to turn around and run back into her room, and it was growing stronger with every step that she made. She had no idea what to expect from Loki. Would he be happy to see her? Maybe even tell her that he'd missed her? Or would he laugh into her face, mock her for her feelings and tell her that he didn't give a damn about her?

Her breathing was so shallow that she was already feeling slightly light-headed.

Even Anjali seemed to be nervous; she was shifty-eyed and kept biting her lips, glancing at Layla every now and then with an uneasy expression on her face. Layla couldn't imagine what she was going through - this must be the first time that she was back in the dungeons ever since her brother Halvard had died.

When they reached the heavy door at the end of the corridor, the maid suddenly halted her movements; her hand already on the door knob. She turned around to look at Layla with tear-filled eyes, her face contorted with sorrow.

"Sweetie", she whispered, her voice trembling, "I - I can't do this - I'm sorry - but we shouldn't - I can't - please let's just get back -"

Layla felt a pang of guilt. "It's okay, Anjali - I shouldn't have asked you to come here in the first place with everything that you've told me about Halvard -"

Anjali blinked, causing a single tear to run down her face.

"I'll go in there alone, it's okay - you can leave, I'll find the way back by myself -"

"No", Anjali murmured reluctantly, "No, I - I'll - Halvard would -" She took a deep breath, avoiding Layla's gaze. For a second, she stared at the ground, then she looked back at Layla. "There's a winding stair behind this door that leads to the cells."

Layla nodded and tried hard to give Anjali a smile. But her lips refused to cooperate, and so she just nodded towards the door and whispered, "Thank you. Let's go."

Anjali's hands were trembling when she opened the iron door and stepped in, and Layla inhaled deeply before following her with her hands clenched around the hem of her slave gown.

"Wait", she hissed when she had made the first step, "Do you hear that?"

Her friend turned around and frowned, listening intently. There were voices echoing through the otherwise silent dungeons, and Layla's heart missed a beat when she realized that they were coming from downstairs.

"Are the guards still down there?"

Anjali had paled even more than before. "No - I - they should have left by now - should we go?"

No, Layla thought desperately, no, I've come too far to turn around now - I have to see Loki, I need to talk to him -

"Wait a moment", she whispered, quietly approaching the winding stair, her brows furrowed, "Let's hear what they're saying!"

_"You didn't think I was going to forget a murder attempt on your king just because you promise to not attempt it again, did you?"_

"That's Thor's voice", Layla stated, panic-stricken, and Anjali nodded with wide eyes.

"Let's go", she urged her friend again.

But Layla shook her head in determination. "No, I want to hear this!"

"But -"

"Shh", Layla hissed, "Loki's saying something -"

 

* * *

 

  
Loki did his best to not roll his eyes when he saw his brother walking down the winding stair. He was wearing full royal regalia including a ridiculously large golden helmet that was almost resembling a crown - even Odin himself had only been wearing this monstrosity to the most important ceremonial occasions. It was clear that Thor wanted to remind Loki of his new status with his attire - Loki didn't even need to look at his smug, arrogant smirk to be certain of that.

_Focus. You need to tickle his vanity. Convince him of your loyalty. Win him over._

"King Thor", he greeted, bowing his head slightly, "Your new attire suits you."

Thor stepped down the last stair and approached his little brother's cell with long, measured steps.

"Cheap flattery will not get you out of this cell, brother."

Loki gave him a crooked smile. "What a shame. I have been counting on that."

Pacing up and down in front of his imprisoned brother, Thor slowly shook his head, not even looking at Loki. "You have mother to thank for my visit. She told me that you've been asking to see me and that there was something you wanted to let me know. I do hope it wasn't only the fact that you approve of my clothing."

"Oh, brother", Loki sighed, "Will you at least look at me? Don't treat me like a common criminal."

"You behaved like one." Thor finally glanced at Loki and was surprised to see genuine sorrow in his green eyes. "So? What is it that you've wanted to tell me?"

"I wanted to apologize for my actions. I truly -"

Thor snorted. "Apologize? You think an _apology_ will get you out of here?"

Loki's voice was soft when he spoke again. "Don't you think I've spent enough time down here now, brother? I assure you, I've gotten the message."

"Have you now?"

"I have indeed. I am truly sorry, Thor. I was blind with rage and jealousy and I let my emotions rule over my actions. It will not happen again."

Thor frowned. His brother's jealousy had never been a secret to him, but never had he ever actually confessed to it. Eyeing him up and down, he couldn't help but feel his heart soften a bit. Despite their frequent disputes, their fights, power plays and conflicted emotions towards one another - they were brothers, after all, and as much as he hated to admit it to himself, but seeing his little brother like this - locked up in a cell, wearing the asgardian prison clothing, his hair all disheveled and unruly - did not only fill him with a sense of triumph, but with a tiny spark of sympathy and regret, too.

He heard a sound coming from upstairs and glanced at the stairs with a frown. When he didn't see anybody, he shrugged it off and looked back at Loki.

"I appreciate your honesty. I will take it in account when I decide your verdict." He smirked at Loki's frown. "You didn't think I was going to forget a murder attempt on your king just because you promise to not attempt it again, did you?"

"Come on, Thor", Loki said, lowering his gaze ruefully, "Yes, I was angry; yes, I lost my head - but I did not attempt to murder you. I could never truly hurt you, and you know that."

"Actually, I don't - that's why you are here, isn't it? To ensure my safety." He hesitated before he added, "But I promise to think about your words until it's time for your trial. Until then, of course, you will remain here."

Loki's head snapped up. "You really plan to bring me to trial?"

Thor smirked. "Of course I do. Our people demand justice for their king, Loki."

Biting his tongue to not let his true feelings show, Loki nodded, lowering his head again. "I see. It is your decision, your decision alone, and I will respect it, be it as it may. I can only hope for your mercy."

Again, Thor eyed his brother carefully. This was not going as he'd expected - not at all.

"You will respect my decision?" he asked eventually.

Loki nodded. "Of course I will. You are the king - _my king._ "

At this, Thor gave his brother a triumphant smile, and Loki returned it carefully.

"I have failed you", he added after a moment, "Which I truly regret. I hope for your forgiveness, brother. If you grant me this indulgence, I shall pledge you my undying fidelity."

A few very long seconds of silence passed, and Loki already started wondering whether he'd taken it too far now - he'd clearly overdone his performance, not even his oaf of a brother could possibly buy this - when Thor nodded thoughtfully.

"I must say, I am most pleasantly surprised, Loki. Maybe mother was right about you, after all. I shall give this some thought and inform you as soon as I have made my decision."

Loki swallowed hard. "Thank you, brother."

Nodding generously, Thor turned around and headed for the winding stair again before he suddenly turned back around with a frown on his face.

"What about your whore?"

It was a good thing that he was no stranger to covering his real emotions, Loki thought - he would never have been able to hide the rush of fury behind his well practiced mask of indifference otherwise.

"What about her?"

Thor narrowed his eyes. "She was the reason for your outburst, after all, wasn't she? Would she still be a problem if I chose to grant you forgiveness?"

Loki snorted. "No problem at all. If you still want her, you can have her."

"Oh?" Thor stepped closer, eyeing Loki up and down. "Why this sudden change of heart? You were furious about her punishment."

Shrugging, Loki rolled his eyes. "By the norns, Thor, do you have any idea how she looked like after her flogging? Of course I was angry - her pretty body was the reason I've purchased her, after all, and now she won't be of any use for weeks. And even then, she'll be covered in ugly scars. I prefer my whores with a flawless body."

"And that's it?"

"That's it."

Still scrutinizing Loki cautiously, Thor said, "So you'll give her to me if I asked you to?"

Again, Loki shrugged. "Sure. She is all yours - my king."

It wasn't until he noticed the coppery taste in his mouth that he realized he'd almost bitten his tongue in two.

Thor started to pace up and down in front of Loki's cell again, still watching him with narrowed eyes. "You did seem to be overly fond of her."

Loki chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous, Thor. She's a pretty little plaything, sure. But she doesn't mean anything to me. I was going to fuck her a few more times until she would have bored me, and once I'd have been through with her, I would have gotten rid of her the same way as I've gotten rid of all the other whores. You would do me a favour if you took her."

A noise came from upstairs, and Loki found himself wishing for a guard to come down - he didn't know how long he could still maintain this masquerade without losing his head. His insides were boiling with hate and it took all of his strength to not shake with anger.

"I assume you are right", the god of thunder stated eventually, his eyes still glued to Loki's face, "She won't be of use for a few more weeks, anyways. But as soon as she's healed, I shall enjoy having her as my personal royal whore and fuck her senseless on the throne."

Loki nodded, his whole body painfully tense by now. But he knew the expectant expression on his brother's face - he was baiting him, just waiting for him to finally snap, and he wouldn't.

"Be my guest", he smirked, "You are sure going to have a lot of fun with her."

Thor's face fell. He had obviously expected a different reaction.

"Very well", he said slowly, eyeing his brother thoughtfully. "As I said - I will let you know as soon as I have made my decision concerning your fate."

"I am sure you will come to the right decision, my king."

Nodding solemnly, Thor turned around to approach the stairs.

Loki took a deep breath as soon as his brother's gaze left him - he was about to burst with fury and frustration, and it became harder and harder to keep everything locked up inside. Thank the norns that Thor was about to leave - he couldn't bear looking into his face much longer.

Thor had already reached the stairs when he suddenly stopped and turned around again.

"Oh, I almost forgot - I know that mother has asked you to look for the girl's family - did you find them?"

Loki frowned, then made a dismissive hand gesture. "There was nothing to find. They're dead, all of them. The slave traders killed everybody in that village before burning it down."

 

* * *

  
  
  
At the top of the stairs, just a few yards above the two gods, Anjali was barely able to reach out for Layla before she hit the cold stone floor.

 

 

 


	39. Everything We Do Has Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am indescribably happy and proud to tell you that the utterly amazing [TheLeftHand](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLeftHand/pseuds/TheLeftHand) has become my beta reader!  
> I am truly blessed to have met her here on AO3 - she is not only an infinite source of inspiration for me because of her great mind, but has also become a deeply cherished friend that I am more than lucky to have in my life, and I am endlessly grateful for her equally endless love, support, encouragement and kindness (and last but not least: her patience with me and my grammatical mistakes :D)
> 
> Please have a look at her wonderful stories, too - she is an incredibly talented writer and her stories are breathtaking!
> 
> ***
> 
> Trigger Warning for suicidal thoughts, please take care if this is a sensitive topic for you.
> 
> And please - it is perfectly fine to have different opinions on the story and you're absolutely welcome to discuss them, but please stay friendly and polite towards each other.

 

 

 

 

Layla never knew how she made it out of the dungeons. She was vaguely aware that Anjali was dragging her away from the winding stairs that she had collapsed on and that she kept talking to her even though Layla wasn't even listening, but besides that, she was completely oblivious to her surroundings. She didn't even feel much, either, let alone think about anything - she seemed to have somehow stopped existing, and whatever little shards of broken glass were left of her were filled with gracious numbness.

Eventually, when her cold body was finally guided into a soft bed and covered with a warm blanket, she closed her eyes and floated into darkness.

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
Loki had spent so many days in Asgard's dungeons when he had been younger that he once joked about it being his pied-à-terre, and since he had always been brought into the same cell, he was more than familiar with this particular place of the palace.

A night in the dungeons had always been Odin's favourite punishment for his least favourite son, and oh, Loki had given him plenty of reasons to punish him over the centuries. What Odin didn't know was that Loki never really minded this particular punishment - he always kept various books hidden in his cell in case of an unexpected detention and was more than able to cope with one or two days of peace, quietness and time to read.  
  
This time, however, it was different. Not only was he not able to reach his magically hidden bookshelf without his seiðr - not even Odin had been that cruel to separate Loki from such a basic part of his personality - but most of all, he was perfectly aware of how the kingdom and, most importantly, his little mortal were at risk of being destroyed by the power-hungry tyrant that his brother had become, and things were definitely not going to get better if he didn't get a chance of intervening soon.

He was pacing up and down in his cell, going through the talk he'd had with his brother a few hours ago again and again, but it was pointless - there was no way he could predict Thor's next steps.

When his mother appeared in the middle of the cell, he let out a sigh.

"Please tell me you have good news."

She smiled. "I think I do. Whatever you've told your brother has had an impact. He did not tell me how he plans to proceed, but at least he decided to release you."

Loki closed his eyes. "Thank the norns."

"Indeed. But you need to be careful, Loki. He is still suspicious and will take every possible misstep on your part as a reason to send you back here."

"I will not _let_ him send me back here", Loki growled, but narrowed his eyes when Frigga lowered her gaze. "What is it?"

"He - he decided to keep your seiðr locked away."

Loki stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"

"As I said, he is still wary of you. I think he considers you to be no real threat to him without your seiðr."

"Well, this is just perfect, because for once in his life, he is actually right."

Frigga shook her head. "Do not underestimate yourself, Loki. You are more than your seiðr, and you have abilities that Thor can only dream of. Use them wisely and you can achieve anything."

For a moment, Loki kept his eyes closed. Eventually, he looked back at his mother. "How is Layla?"

"I still haven't talked to her, but she must be feeling a lot better - the head housemaid told me that she visited her friends in the slave quarters yesterday, and when I went to see her an hour ago, she wasn't in her room, either."

"She should not be walking too much", Loki frowned, "Her injuries are not to be taken lightly."

Frigga smiled. "I think it is a good sign. But Ophelia mentioned that she seemed very distraught. I think you should go and see her as soon as you leave this cell."

"I did not plan to wait on it", he murmured - he was _dying_ to have her in his arms again.

When a noise came from upstairs, Frigga's illusion disappeared, and Loki took a deep breath to brace himself for his next performance. His mask of a loyal subordinate was flawless when Thor, accompanied by two guards, finally strutted over to Loki's cell.

"I have come to a decision", he declared pompously without any greeting, and Loki struggled to keep his eyes glued to his brother instead of rolling them at him. "I cannot and I will not let such a murderous attack on Asgard's king go unpunished. But your little timeout in our prison seems to have brought you back to your senses and you have shown genuine regret about your evil deeds. I therefore allow you to leave your cell while you are awaiting your official sentence."

"My sentence?"

Thor smirked. "Of course. Everything we do has consequences, Loki. I shall make my final decision about an adequate punishment after your official hearing."

Loki clenched his fists behind his back. "You demand a _hearing?_ "

"Indeed. A _public_ hearing, in fact - considering the fact that you attacked the king of Asgard, I think it fit to let all of Asgard hear your apology, too." He smirked at Loki's poorly hidden displeasure. "You seem unhappy, brother. Would you rather be condemned unheard?"

Loki wasn't unhappy, he was _fuming_. He closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself before bowing slightly. "No, of course not."

"Of course not -?"

The god of mischief gritted his teeth and, without raising his head, corrected himself, "Of course not, my king."

Thor's eyes lit up with triumph. "Very well. For the time being, you are not permitted to leave the palace grounds. You shall also stay deprived of your sorcery."

Even though he already knew this, Loki still couldn't hold back a quiet, unintentional growl. Thor immediately narrowed his eyes.

"Anything to say, Loki?"

Bowing his head again, Loki swallowed hard. "Nothing. I beg your pardon, my king."

Thor's face split into a wide, ugly smile. "You are forgiven, little brother. I think it goes without saying that any misstep of yours will lead to immediate imprisonment, but if you behave, you have nothing to fear. Guards, release the prisoner."

And with that, he turned around and left without another look back.

Loki's gaze followed him up the stairs until he was out of sight; then, he let the carefully constructed mask of allegiance and humility drop from his face to reveal the shrewd smirk that he had kept hidden underneath. Thor should really know him better by now - there was a reason Loki was called the god of lies, after all. And there was a reason he was called the god of mischief, too.

When the guards were done deactivating the barrier and Loki could finally step out of the prison cell, he was chuckling quietly to himself.

If Thor was so eager for a public hearing, Loki was more than happy to give him one.

Everything we do has consequences, after all.

    
   

* * *

 

"I can't believe you took her into the dungeons, Anjali!"

"Why not?" Anjali hissed back at Shiari, "You were the one who kept telling her that the prince was oh so deeply in love with her; according to your logic, he should have dropped to his knees and proposed to her, shouldn't he?"

Shiari lowered her gaze. "I - I really thought that - that he -"

"Well, yeah, he's not! I heard him, and his words were more than clear!"

"She must be devastated", Shiari murmured, eyeing the sleeping mortal girl on Anjali's bed.

"She is", Anjali replied sadly, "What the prince said about her was already more than enough to break her heart, but when she heard about her family -"

"I don't understand why the queen never told me - we could have talked to her, then, break it gently -"

"There was nothing gentle about the way she heard about it, that's for sure. She looked like a ghost - I barely got her out of the dungeons in time. She collapsed on our way to the prince's chambers, so I brought her here instead. Thank the norns that Ophelia didn't see us."

"Maybe we should tell her", Shiari mused, "I mean, look at her - maybe she needs a potion or -"

Anjali shook her head. "The only thing she needs is a safe distance between her and these royal assholes. Thank the stars that the prince is still imprisoned."

Shiari bit her lip. "About that - uh - it's actually why I've been looking for her. I've heard Queen Frigga say that the prince will be released -"

"He'll be released?" Anjali exclaimed loudly before Shiari could end her sentence, "I can't believe it - are you sure?"

Shiari nodded. "Yes. There will be a hearing, but until then, he's free."

"I'm done for", Layla stated blankly, "That's it."

The two women flinched, and Shiari immediately moved over to take Layla's hand.

"Layla, I'm so sorry - we didn't mean to wake you -"

"It's okay", Layla murmured and frowned when she noticed her surroundings. "Anjali, am I in your room?"

"Yes, I couldn't carry you any longer and my room was the closest - Layla, how -" Anjali bit her lip, unsure of how to finish what she realized was a rather stupid question.

Layla gave her a hollow smile. "I'm okay. It's gonna be over soon, anyways, right? When Loki returns, he's going to give me to Thor, and I'm not going to survive him for long. God, I wish they would just get it over with and kill me already."

Shiari gasped. "Layla, don't say that! You shouldn't even _think_ that!"

"Why not?" Layla's voice was eerily calm. "Shiari, you weren't there, you never heard what Anjali and I heard - Loki couldn't care less about me, and I'm sick of waiting for him to finish me off. And - and my family -" She swallowed hard. "Seriously, I just want all this to be over. It would be for the best."

"Anjali, say something!" Shiari gave her friend a pleading look, but Anjali lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her slave gown.

"I guess I'm not the right person to cheer anyone up at the moment", she murmured, her voice small, "Honestly, I'd rather have Thor kill me instead of ever touching me again, too."

"Why - what? What do you mean, touching you?"

Layla and Anjali exchanged a look before Anjali sighed.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I forgot that I haven't told you yet. Thor - he - the day before yesterday, he raped me."

Shiari leaped up from the bed. For a second, she seemed to be radiating fury - her eyes were glowing in an even brighter shade of gold and her hands were clenched into trembling fists - Layla almost expected her to scream at Anjali, to shake her and ask her why she hadn't told her about this sooner - but then, as soon as her gaze fell to Anjali who was staring at the floor with her head hanging low, her gaze softened again and she approached her friend to pull her into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Anji", she whispered, "And I'm sorry you felt like you couldn't tell me - and I'm so, so sorry I didn't help you -"

"There's nothing you could've done", Anjali murmured, her eyes closed, "It's alright, I'll get over it."

When Shiari let go of her after a long moment, tears were glistening in her golden eyes, and she looked from Layla to Anjali, lost for words, feeling utterly helpless. "I'm going to speak to the queen", she said eventually, her voice trembling, "There must be something she can do for both of you -"

"Forget it, Shiari", Anjali muttered, "Your precious queen can't do anything. She'll only make things worse for me."

"That's not true", Shiari said determinedly, "And I'm going to speak to her and Ophelia right now. Can I leave you two alone?"

Layla, who had been gazing into the nothingness for a moment, blinked at her words. "Actually, I think I should go back to my room - I suppose it would be wise to be there once Loki returns."

"Are you sure?" Anjali mused, "You could just stay and hide in my room -"

"And make him punish us both when he finds me here? Forget it."

Shiari shook her head. "I agree, that wouldn't help. Alright, let's get you into your room and then I'll go to Ophelia and take her to the queen - don't give me that look, Anjali, you're not going to stop me again. It's about time."

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Shiari left Layla in Loki's chambers before heading to Ophelia, Layla felt utterly relieved to be alone again. She had given her best to not let her friends see how lost she felt, but it had started to exhaust her, and she was looking forward to finally being allowed to let go of everything.

It took her a brief moment of numb confusion to realize that she wasn't even sure what it was she was feeling. She should be crying, shouldn't she - but there were no tears coming, and she didn't feel sad, either, she felt - nothing.

She walked slowly through Loki's bedroom, avoiding at all costs to look at the bed that she would probably be expected to lie down in as soon as Loki was back. After what she'd heard him say in the dungeons, she wasn't sure if he'd actually care enough to at least let her heal properly before taking her again. Or maybe he would send her to Thor straight away? She didn't even really care. The only thing that she could hope for was to be granted a quick death.

At least then she'd be with her family again.

She bit her lip until she could taste blood on her tongue at the thought.

In all this time ever since she had been taken from her home she had found comfort in knowing that at least her parents and Sophia had been spared a similar fate - she had believed them to be safe, to be together; sometimes she had pictured them together at the dinner table, wondering what they might be eating that day, and at night she had prayed that her mom or dad had taken over the task of reading to little Sophia when she couldn't sleep.

But none of this had happened. They had been dead all along, all of them. She had spent her entire time in Asgard wishing to return to them one day - but there had never been anyone to return to.

Finally, a few hot, burning tears were pooling in her eyes.

She lay down on her bed just as the first tear started to trickle down her face - and furrowed her brows when she felt something hard beneath her back. It took her a moment to find the source of her discomfort in the pile of bedsheets and blankets, but when she did, she was even more confused than before - there were a golden piece of paper and a small glass vial lying on her mattress. She picked both items up carefully. The glass vial was filled with a few drops of a translucent liquid, and Layla held it against the light, utterly confused - had Shiari accidentally left this behind? Was it one of Loki's famous healing thingies? - and she almost forgot about the paper she was holding in her other hand out of irritation. When she looked down at it, she frowned even harder. It was a letter - and it was addressed to her.

  
  
_Dear Layla,_  
_On behalf of all Asgardians I sincerely apologize for the cruel fate that has befallen you in our world. I am a member of a resistance movement that is working towards justice in our kingdom. Sadly, the last weeks have made it more than clear that we will never achieve our goal with either of the princes in power. We have made arrangements to ensure that King Thor will not awake from this night's rest again. If you find the courage to see to it that Prince Loki shares his brother's fate, we all are certainly heading towards a brighter future. This poison is taste- and odorless, it kills fast and painless and does not leave any trace behind. The vial dissolves in water. Nobody will ever know the truth behind the prince's sudden death._  
_After our successful takeover of Asgard's throne, you shall be released and sent back to your homeworld._  
_Help us to free Asgard from its brutal tyrants and yourself from your tormentors._

  
  
Layla stared at the letter with wide eyes. She read it again and again, her head spinning mercilessly, a thick lump building in her throat.

_They want to kill Thor and Loki._

_No - they want **me** to kill Loki._

This was insane. She'd heard about the riots that had occured in Asgard's society because of what had happened to her, and Anjali had mentioned that there were quite a few Asgardians who didn't approve of their kingdom's laws, but _this_ \- this was something entirely different than a rebellion, this was murder, for god's sake -

She gasped when the golden piece of paper suddenly started to crumple before it vanished right before her eyes.

_Well, at least they're thorough,_ she thought blankly, _with the letter gone and the vial dissolving in Loki's drink, there will in fact be not a single piece of evidence for what I've done._

She flinched when she realized what she'd just thought. Had she seriously just considered killing Loki?

She couldn't kill him - she couldn't kill _anybody._

_But they'll set you free_ , a voice whispered inside her head, and she shook it off violently. What for? Why should she long for her freedom any longer? What did she have left on Earth to return to?

Then again - the current situation in Asgard was intolerable, if anybody knew how cruel life as an Asgardian slave was, it was her - and if she could help to change things for the better, shouldn't she do it?

She shut her eyes tightly. Her head was beginning to ache terribly again.

This wasn't her world. It wasn't her war. She had no moral obligation at all to get involved in an otherworldly political coup, for god's sake. If they wanted to kill Thor, she would be the last person to stop them - and wouldn't that already be enough for a change? At least Anjali would be safe, then.

But Loki?

Her heart clenched up. Could she really hurt _Loki?_ Her feelings had not changed, even though she knew about his now, and she couldn't kill the man she loved. On the other hand - he had done nothing but hurt her, hadn't he?

Layla groaned.

_Free yourself from your tormentor._  
  
She suddenly remembered how she had once pondered about killing Loki in his sleep - she'd found a knife and considered stabbing him, but she hadn't been able to do it. No, she corrected herself, she had _decided_ not to do it. And that had been in the very beginning, when she hadn't had anything remotely resembling feelings for the prince. Even Loki himself had been surprised that she hadn't tried murdering him.

_Why did you not attempt to kill me?_ he'd asked.

_I am not a murderer_ , she had told him back then.

And she wasn't. She simply wasn't capable of murder.

_She's a pretty little plaything, sure. But she doesn't mean anything to me_ , she heard Loki's voice echoing through her mind, and a sharp pang shot through her chest. It became unbearable when the merciless echo continued, _They're dead, all of them. The slave traders killed everybody in that village before burning it down._

Layla took a deep breath, but it didn't help; her chest was still feeling as if it was about to burst, and she felt her hand clenching around the small vial until the glass hurt her palms. When she loosened her tight grip around the vial again, a sudden movement caught her eye, and she glanced at her nightstand. The _stjarna_ light had started to hover a few inches above the small table, and it seemed to be glowing even brighter than before.

She reached out for it with the faint shadow of a wistful smile on her face. It was warm and bright, and when she touched it, Layla remembered for a split second how happy she had been when she'd purchased it - her very first own possession in this world - and how she'd imagined to maybe actually feel like home in Asgard one day.

How stupid she had been.

She bit her lip before waving her hand over the small charmed object, watching with a tight throat how the gleaming light began to fade out as the star sunk down to her bed.

Maybe, just for once in her life, she could go against her nature. Maybe this one time, she could disregard the utmost respect she had for life. And maybe she was capable of killing somebody, after all.

 

 

* * *

 

 

_Great_ , Loki thought, standing in the open door of his spare room, _just great._

Finding his little mortal's bed empty when he wanted to see her never failed to irritate him. Once he had successfully brought down Thor, he might have to consider shackling her to his bed to avoid this happening ever again.

He smirked, both at the very vivid mental pictures the thought conjured up and at the face Layla would probably make if he were to suggest this to her.

Closing his eyes to savour her scent that was still lingering on the bedsheets, he sat down on her bed with a deep sigh.

His mother had been right, of course; it was a good sign that Layla was already up and about, but still - after those last few days of solitude, there was nothing he wanted more than to bury himself inside her welcoming warmth again.

He let out another sigh before rising from the bed again. At least now he had the chance to change into appropriate attire before seeing her - the Asgardian prison clothing was far beneath his usual standards.

Once he'd changed, he left his chambers again, strutting through the hallways with his head raised high. The few guards that he passed bowed slightly to him, which had an immediate settling effect on him - he was definitely going to need every single guard's loyalty for what he'd planned - and he felt better by the second. Now all he had to do was find this head housemaid and tell her to bring him Layla, and he'd finally have the first and most important of his problems solved.

"Loki! It's good to see you out of the dungeons again!"

He turned around with a frown at the rumbling sound of Volstagg's voice. The bearded warrior approached him quickly and with what seemed to be a genuine smile on his face.

"Volstagg."

Volstagg clapped Loki on the back. "So", he said, eyeing Loki, "What in Odin's name happened?"

Loki narrowed his eyes at the warrior. "I assume that my dear brother has told you about everything that happened, has he not?"

Volstagg nodded thoughtfully. "He has. But I am not sure if I believe what he told me is true. He doesn't seem to be in his right mind at the moment."

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Let's just say that he is not who I used to know anymore. And we've all been wondering if there may have been a reason for your attack that not everybody knows of."

Loki snorted. "And since when are my foolish brother's loyal minions interested in my reasons for anything?"

"Loki, we may not be close friends, but I've always respected you as a warrior enough to know that if you attempted to murder anyone, chances are that you would successfully do so. And even if you failed, your victim would definitely not be walking through the palace only minutes after your attack."

When Loki remained silent, Volstagg put a hand on his shoulder. "Let me be clear. I doubt that you actually tried to kill your brother, and I wonder why he would accuse you of such a thing. What happened between you two?"

For a moment, Loki eyed the man carefully. Having not only one of Thor's closest friends, but a well-respected warrior on his side would certainly be an advantage for his plan - but since he was indeed one of Thor's closest friends, he would be a fool to trust him.

"It is none of your concern, Volstagg."

Volstagg shrugged with an annoyed huff, and Loki had already turned around to leave when he suddenly spoke up again.

"Hey, how's little Layla, by the way? Rumour has it that she's fallen ill?"

Loki whirled around with narrowed eyes. "What?"

Volstagg shrugged. "I was just wondering if it's something serious. I heard that she's bedridden."

"Are you trying to mock me?" Loki snarled, "I would assume that you know very well why she has fallen ill."

"What?" Volstagg sounded genuinely confused. "How would I know?"

"Knowing my brother, I would have thought he would be boasting about this. But why would you care about her, anyway?"

"She's a cute little thing and I like her, that's all. And I felt quite bad for scaring her the way we did."

Loki frowned at him. "Scaring her?"

With another shrug, Volstagg crossed his arms in front of his chest. "My friends and I may be well known for our escapades, Loki, but it's usually not our style to have unwilling girls participate in our orgies -"

In a split second, Loki had shoved Volstagg against the wall behind him and pointed his dagger at his throat. Volstagg, completely taken by surprise, raised his hands.

"What do you mean, orgies?" Loki hissed, "What have you done to her?"

"Loki, calm down - we didn't know that we were doing it against her will, Thor said that she was joining us willingly -"

Volstagg fell silent when Loki's face was suddenly only inches away from his.

"And you have taken her? _All of you?_ "

"No!" Volstagg quickly said, "No, of course not - we hadn't even started yet, we'd just - touched her a little - ow!"

Loki's dagger had pierced Volstagg's skin, and the bearded man could feel a few drops of blood dribble down his neck. Volstagg was highly regarded as a great warrior with exceptional strength, but he had known Loki long enough to respect the dark prince's own fighting capabilities, especially when he was as infuriated as he was now, and he had to admit that he was starting to feel quite uncomfortable.

"Loki, calm down!"

The god just hissed at him, but at least he withdrew the blade a bit.

Volstagg took a deep breath. He had been suspecting that Loki saw more in this girl than a bed slave since the day he'd forbidden them to take her, but when Thor had told them a few days ago that Loki had given them the girl for the night, he'd assumed that he had been wrong. It slowly dawned on him now that the girl's willingness was not the only thing Thor had been lying about.

"Listen - Thor said that it was your idea to send us the girl, and that she was eager to join us", he explained, "But then she suddenly started crying. We asked her what was wrong and she kept saying that she was alright and that she could do it, but it was obvious that she was scared to death and didn't really want to be with us. So we told her that she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to and sent her away -"

"Straight into the dungeons?" Loki spat.

Volstagg furrowed his bushy eyebrows. "Dungeons? No - Thor sent her back to her chambers -"

"No, he didn't, you fool", Loki hissed, "He sent her to the dungeons to have her flogged!"

"Flogged? What -" Volstagg seemed to think for a second before a sudden look of realization crossed his face. "He had her punished?"

Loki finally let go of him - not without giving him an angry push beforehand - and ran his hands through his hair. "Why do you think she is bedridden? Thor condemned her to thirty lashes."

Utter disbelief was written over Volstagg's face. "Thirty lashes? To that little thing?"

"When I found her, she was barely able to walk", Loki muttered, the memory still painfully vivid in his mind, "It was madness to condemn such a fragile being to a penalty for severe disobedience, let alone twice -"

"Severe disobedience?" Volstagg repeated slowly, "But she never disobeyed at all. On the contrary, she told us that she'd let us do anything we wanted without fighting us - it was our own choice to let her go."

Loki eyed him carefully. "She did not fight you?"

Volstagg shook his head. "No, we more or less had to argue her into leaving. She was completely submissive."

"Why did you send her away, then?"

"Because some of us like their women not only submissive, but actually willing, Loki."

Loki glared at Volstagg, and for a moment, he considered reminding the bearded fool who he was talking to, but he quickly dismissed the idea. There were more important issues to take care of at the moment. He eyed the warrior thoughtfully.

"Are you telling me -" he said cautiously, "- that our king has condemned a strictly obedient slave to an illegitimate penalty for severe disobedience?"

Volstagg narrowed his eyes at the prince and hesitated a moment before he quietly asked, "How's the little one doing now?"

"I haven't seen her yet, but whenever my mother has gone there to visit her, she had been unconscious. The day I found her after her punishment, she was covered in blood and didn't even allow me to touch her, she was screaming and wailing with pain -"

"Alright, enough", Volstagg interrupted him with a growl, his eyes darkened with rage, "Enough. Yes, her punishment was clearly unjustified. And yes, I would be willing to give testimony, if necessary."

"You would testify against Thor?"

Volstagg nodded reluctantly. "I am under oath to protect our kingdom, not my friends. Especially not those whose behaviour I cannot endorse anymore."

Loki's eyes were glistening. "I see. Were Fandral and Hogunn with you on the evening in question?"

"Yes. Let me talk to them." Volstagg eyed Loki carefully. "You do know that this won't be enough for what you're planning?"

Loki gave him a humourless smile. "I am quite familiar with our law."

Volstagg ran his hands through his beard and seemed lost in thoughts for a moment. Eventually, he met Loki's gaze again.

"Do you know Thor's chambermaid? The small blonde girl?" When Loki nodded, Volstagg lowered his voice. "You might want to talk to her, too."

 

 

* * *

 

 

If this is true, he is done for, Loki thought gleefully, and he couldn't stifle a triumphant smirk. Everything was going even better than expected. The illegitimate punishment against one slave and the violation of another were two serious infringements of Asgard's slave laws and would already be enough to call for a hearing, but with their mother, the Einherjar and Thor's very own friends testifying against him in said hearing, Thor's time on the throne was as good as over.

He'd have to talk to this chambermaid, of course, but it just had to wait a little longer - he still hadn't seen Layla, and he was _dying_ to see Layla.

When he finally spotted Ophelia on her way to the slave quarters, he hurried towards her with a light smile on his face. She flinched slightly when he called out for her, and he noticed absent-mindedly that she seemed rather distraught, but he had far more important matters to take care of.

"Ophelia, do you happen to know where Layla is?"

Ophelia stared at him for a moment. "But Your Highness - has nobody told you? She - she is in the healers' rooms -"

Loki frowned. "Why would she be there?"

Ophelia lowered her gaze, obviously scared of Loki's reaction if she told him, and he clicked his tongue impatiently. "Tell me!"

The maid looked up at him, unable to hide the undeniable accusation in her gaze. "Your slave has tried to end her life, Your Highness. I found her an hour ago. She is in the healers' rooms now, but they doubt that the poor child has any chance to survive."

 

 

* * *

 

 

The two present healers were more than surprised to see the prince storming into their rooms with a mixture of sorrow and panic on his face, but they knew better than to question him, and so they didn't say a word when he rushed up to Layla's bed and knelt down at her side, carefully taking her hands in his.

She looked lifeless and cold, and for a brief moment, Loki could only stare at her, his eyes burning with tears. Then, without a single word, he leaped up again and whirled around, his face suddenly no longer concerned and grief-stricken, but furious. Very furious.

"Why was I not informed", he shouted, his voice filling the entire room.

The second healer left the room, quietly muttering an excuse, but the head healer, Navah, didn't seem intimidated at all. She frowned at the prince.

"My apologies, Your Highness, but I did not expect you to care."

"Well, you were obviously wrong!" Loki roared. "Do not just stand there, woman", he hissed when Navah didn't answer, "Tell me what happened!"

Navah cleared her throat. "Well, Ophelia found her unconscious in her bed and brought her here. There was a farewell letter - she must have poisoned herself; there was a half emptied glass of water on her nightstand, but we haven't found any trace of the poison so far. That's why we can't really do much for her."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Then find out what to do! You are a _healer!_ "

"I am already doing all I can with strengthening potions, but until I know what kind of poison I am dealing with -"

"Did you give her a skaða potion?"

Navah's eyes widened. "A skaða potion? No, of course not -"

"Do it."

"My prince -"

"Do it!"

This time, Navah nodded silently and rushed to one of the cabinets in the room. She murmured something, and Loki watched impatiently as she finally opened the magically sealed medicine cabinet to take out a small bottle with the familiar thick blue potion inside. When she hesitated before returning to Layla's bed with it, Loki snapped.

"Give this to me", he snarled, yanking the bottle out of the startled woman's hands.

The healer watched silently how the obviously impatient and bad-tempered prince was stroking gently over his slave girl's head while carefully pouring a few drops of the precious potion into her mouth. He whispered something to her, but Navah couldn't understand what it was, and maybe that was for the best - the whole scenery was already utterly absurd.

A few minutes passed - Loki was still murmuring something into the mortal's ear while caressing her tousled hair - until he suddenly turned around.

"It strengthened her body, but it is not enough to save her life."

Navah sighed. "I am sorry, my prince, but unless I know which antidote she needs -"

Loki nodded. "I will look through her things and see if I can find anything. You will keep her alive." He narrowed his eyes at the woman. "If she dies, it is on you, and you will be facing the consequences for it."

"My prince, with all due respect", Navah said slowly, "But I doubt that _I_ would be the one responsible for her death."

For a second, Loki just stared at her, his gaze furious and wild. And then, suddenly, something in his eyes changed.

His voice was small and broken when he said, "No. No, you wouldn't be."

 

 

 


	40. Destroyed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that all of you had wonderful holidays and I wish you an even more wonderful new year!
> 
> I finally finished the next chapter; I hope you'll like it!  
> I'm very sorry for the delay - things have been a bit chaotic in my life and I've been struggling to find the time to write. I also barely found the time to reply to comments I received - I am trying to catch up on it now, but please know that every single comment means so much to me, even if I couldn't reply to them yet.
> 
> Again, I wholeheartedly thank [TheLeftHand](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLeftHand/pseuds/TheLeftHand) for being my beta-reader and an infinite source of inspiration!
> 
> * * *

 

 

There were an empty glass, a couple of books and the stjarna light on Layla's nightstand and Loki found two small, half-emptied bags with Asgardian sweets, too, but he didn't see anything that could have told him what poison Layla had taken. Once again, he cursed Thor - it would have been far easier to find what he was looking for if he could simply use his seiðr.

He reached out for the waste basket that was hidden beneath Layla's desk and turned it upside down, but except for a few crumpled handkerchiefs, there was nothing inside.

Turning around and heading towards the wardrobe, Loki gave his best to ignore how tight his throat had become and how close his chest seemed to be to bursting ever since he'd left the healers' rooms - _Navah is right_ , a cruelly honest voice in his mind whispered, _This is not her fault, it is yours - yours alone -_

With a growl of impatience, Loki grabbed the travel bag that was standing in front of the wardrobe, opened it and shook it a few times before kneeling down to search through the pile of clothes. There were a few dresses and shirts, both familiar ones and new ones that Layla must have bought at the market, and a bathing dress that she'd obviously purchased for their planned trip to the Sævar Lake. Loki swallowed hard when he touched the light green material.

It was hard to believe that it had only been a couple of days since he'd prepared everything for a romantic trip to the lake, and at the sight of the bathing dress, he couldn't help but wonder if Layla would ever be wearing it. The memory of her pale face and her cold hands sent a shiver through his body, and he had to take a deep breath and close his eyes for a moment before returning to his task.

Finding the poison that Layla had taken was the only chance she had - the only chance he had to ever talk to her again - the only chance _they_ had to ever be more than what he had allowed them to be in the past.

The next thing he found inside the almost empty bag was a new Midgardian book, and ah - there was the velvet pouch he'd given her. He frowned when he opened it - he had given Layla a small fortune, but there were barely a few coins left inside. So far, he hadn't found anything that looked very expensive; Layla couldn't possibly have spent so much gold on some clothes, a few books and a night light - but Loki shrugged his surprise off after a second. The whereabouts of his gold was the least of his concerns at the moment.

He stood up, yanked the door of the wardrobe open and started searching through the clothes on the top shelf. Again, nothing but dresses and shirts.

With another frustrated growl Loki reached out for the pile of clothes on the second shelf - and frowned when he could suddenly feel something solid and cold beneath his fingertips. When he pulled the item out of its hiding place and his gaze fell on a small, corked glass bottle with a couple of runes written on its front, he froze.

_No_ , he thought blankly, _That can't be - it's not possible - where could she possibly have gotten this poison from? It could only be found on the black market - but even if somebody took her there, it must have cost a small -_

His gaze shifted back to the velvet pouch that was lying on the floor just a few feet away, and Loki clenched his fist around the small bottle with a pained gasp. He didn't even notice the thin glass shatter in his iron grip; he didn't feel the shards of broken glass pierce his skin, not even when the last remnants of the poison, running through his fingers, started burning his skin.

Layla had bought the poison with the money he had given her. He had given her the money, he had sent her to the market, and he had left her alone with Thor. It was his fault, his alone. And if she died, it would be his fault, too.

For a few painful seconds, Loki just stood there, frozen in place, his eyes burning with tears, small drops of his blood mixed with the poison dribbling down to the stone floor.  
Eventually, the searing pain in his hand caught his attention, and he opened it slowly to let the pieces of the broken bottle fall down. When they hit the floor with a sharp shattering noise, he whirled around and started to run.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"She has taken _vatvægd_ ", Loki shouted as soon as he reached the healers' rooms.

Navah turned around with furrowed brows. "That is not possible", she objected, "She would already be dead by now - besides, where could she -"

"She has taken vatvægd", Loki repeated, his voice dropping an octave, "Give her the antidote. Now."

Navah opened her mouth, but when Loki's threatening gaze met hers, she just nodded shortly. Heading for her medicine cabinet, the healer shook her head at the prince's irrational behaviour. This was a ruthless waste of her healing potions; even an Asgardian wouldn't have been able to survive for so long if they'd taken this particular poison, let alone a mortal - Navah couldn't even remember to have ever used its antidote as a healing elixir, she had only ever used it as an ointment to treat the burning wounds the poison left behind. As far as she knew, there was only a handful of people who had survived actually swallowing vatvægd - and neither of them had been a mortal.

When she turned around with the antidote in her hands, she met Loki's eyes again, and she quickly decided to put all reason aside and do what the prince had ordered her to do. He looked almost mad with fury, and she certainly didn't want to be the one to incur his wrath.

Still, she had to suppress a sigh as she sat down on Layla's bed and carefully parted the girl's lips to pour a few drops of the elixir into her mouth. Glancing up at Loki, she was surprised to see the cold, dark prince staring down at his slave girl with burning grief in his eyes - he couldn't truly be mourning her, could he? She was a _slave_ , a mortal one at that -

Just when the healer opened her mouth to tell Loki that the antidote didn't seem to have any effect - and _of course_ it wouldn't, because it was impossible that this fragile little thing had actually survived taking vatvægd! - her head suddenly snapped back to Layla.

This couldn't -

"It's working", she gasped, baffled, "I can sense her heartbeat becoming stronger - only slightly, but still - what - how -"

The prince let out a deep sigh and finally stepped closer to the bed. When he crouched down and wrapped his hand around Layla's, Navah gasped again.

"Your Highness - your _hand_ -"

Loki didn't pay her any attention. He was stroking Layla's cheek with his unwounded hand, whispering soothing words into her ear.

"Your Highness!"

Finally, Loki glanced at Navah. "What?"

"Your hand! What happened?"

"It is nothing. I found the poison in Layla's room and spilled it." He looked back at Layla with a frown. "Why does she not awaken?"

"She - she is a mortal, Your Highness, even with the antidote, the vatvægd has probably already caused irreparable damage to her body - I - to be honest, I sincerely doubt that we can expect her to fully awake again -"

Loki narrowed his eyes. "She will", he mumbled, "I know she will. Give her more of the skaða potion to strengthen her further. Do not be thrifty with it, do you understand?"

"I - of course, Your Highness."

"And not a word of this to anyone. If anybody asks for her, you will tell them that she has fallen ill with a common disease. You will also not let anybody - _and I mean anybody_ \- visit her, do you hear me? I trust you to keep her safe."

"Of course", Navah repeated, then added, "May I tend to your hand now?"

Glancing down at his burned hand, Loki huffed. "It is nothing. Focus on Layla."

Navah nodded reluctantly and went to retrieve the skaða potion. While pouring it into Layla's mouth, she cleared her throat.

"Your Highness, I - I can see that you are very - uh, very concerned about your slave, but - well, technically, it should be impossible for her to still be alive, I can't understand why the poison hasn't killed her yet -"

"What does it matter?" Loki snapped, "As long as she is alive, I could not care less about the reason for it!"

"Of course", Navah replied gently, "What I'm trying to say is - it is highly unlikely for her to regain consciousness, and maybe you should prepare yourself for -"

"For what, exactly?" Loki spat. "For her death? You keep saying that she should already be dead, too, but she is not, is she? Your predictions are obviously not without fault, Navah, so I have no reason to trust you with yet another wrong assumption!"

He felt a rush of relief flow through him - being angry was far, far easier to cope with than the feelings of grief and guilt that had been clawing at his insides until just a few seconds ago, and finally having someone else apart from himself to be angry with felt indescribably good.

"I apologize", Navah said quietly, avoiding the prince's piercing gaze. After a moment of silence, she added, "Your Highness - you said you found the poison in her room - but where could she possibly have gotten it?"

Loki looked at Layla for a long moment before he rose to strut towards the door.

He wasn't the only one responsible for this.

"I know where she got it from", he replied coldly, "And I know just whose head I am going to let roll for it."

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Loki entered his mother's chambers, he was surprised to see that she was in the middle of a deep conversation with Ophelia and Shiari, the latter having tears streaming down her face.

"Loki", Frigga said as she turned towards him, "I am so sorry to hear about your maid - have you seen her? How is she?"

Loki swallowed. "I have, but she is still unconscious. Which is why I am - what is this?"

Frigga followed his gaze to the piece of pergament Shiari was holding in her hands, and she cleared her throat.

"Apparently, Layla has left a farewell letter for -"

Shiari gasped in surprise when the prince snatched the letter from her hands, and Frigga opened her mouth to scold him, but seemed to reconsider her decision when she saw the expression on her son's face.

 

_Dear Ophelia, dear Anjali, dear Shiari,_  
_I want to thank you for everything you've done for me since I came here. I don't know what I would have done without you. I am so sorry, but I am just not strong enough anymore._  
_Take care of yourselves. I love you._  
_Layla_

 

Loki frowned and turned the paper over before glancing up at Ophelia.

"This is all?"

"Uh - yes, Your Highness."

Not a single word to him? Nothing at all?

Loki was surprised by the stinging pain this realization gave him, and he clenched his fist around the letter.

"Loki - it's good that you're here", Frigga said softly after a moment, "We were just discussing Thor's behaviour towards the staff in the palace, and there are a few things you should know."

She nodded to Ophelia, who took a deep breath.

"My prince, I regret to tell you that the king has shown a flagrant disregard for Asgard's law as of late. I already told Queen Frigga about the general terror he is spreading among the maids and servants of the palace, and I've just come to know that he is also being accused of sexual abuse of one of our chambermaids -"

"I know", Loki said shortly.

For a moment, Ophelia looked at him with narrowed eyes, then, she straightened herself up and continued, "Well, then it should not come as a surprise to you to hear that I demand a hearing to question his behaviour."

Loki glanced at his mother, and she nodded.

"We can trust Ophelia and Shiari, son. I think it would be wise to let them both in on your plan."

"I fear that I must disagree", Loki replied coldly, "Ophelia, you will stay here. _You_ , on the other hand -" He glared at Shiari, who returned his gaze with noticeable irritation in her teary eyes, "- will leave. You will wait for me in front of my chambers, and you will not say a single word to anyone, do you understand? Not a word, maid, or you will regret it."

Shiari had paled. "Your Highness, have I done something wrong?"

For a moment, Loki closed his eyes to stop himself from shouting at the woman. Eventually, he took a deep breath and hissed, "Out. Now. I will have a word with you later."

Frigga and Ophelia exchanged a surprised look, but watched silently as Shiari bowed to Loki before quietly leaving the room. When the door closed behind her, Frigga frowned at her son.

"Loki - I don't understand -"

"Later, mother", he said shortly, and turned to Ophelia before Frigga could say another word. "I am very well aware of my brother's behaviour, and I fully agree with your decision to demand a hearing. I have, in fact, decided to demand a hearing myself."

Ophelia raised her eyebrows. "You have?"

"I have. I plan to call on a hearing to question his behaviour before demanding his immediate deposition."

There was a moment of silence.

Eventually, Ophelia cleared her throat. "Is that even possible?"

Loki huffed. "Of course it is possible. It's just never happened before."

Ophelia glanced at Frigga, who sighed.

"I understand your skepticism, Ophelia, I am not particularly keen on the idea, either. But I must admit that I don't see another way anymore. We're going to need you and Anjali as witnesses, of course."

"Of course", Ophelia replied before looking back at Loki. "But - with all due respect, Your Highness - it has been brought to my attention that you are currently awaiting your very own hearing - how will you be able to -"

"Leave that to me", Loki said curtly, "Just see to it that every concerned maid and servant is prepared to testify when it is time."

"Of course", Ophelia repeated.

"Speaking of testimonies", Loki continued, "You should know about another severe infringement of Thor's that concerns one of the maids. I am talking about Layla. Since she will not be able to appear as a witness herself, for obvious reasons, you as the head housemaid will have to speak for her."

The elder maid frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The penalty that she has received for displaying severe disobedience was illegitimate; she was strictly obedient on the evening in question and her punishment was an act of pure caprice. I will have three more than trustworthy witnesses to support your testimony."

Ophelia looked genuinely confused. "I apologize, Your Highness, but I don't understand -"

Loki closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't want to think of the evening that he had left Layla alone - he didn't want to think of Layla, at all, he wanted to _be_ with Layla, to hold her, stroke her head, tell her how much he loved her and how sorry he was -

"On the evening in question, Thor called Layla into his chambers and ordered her to participate in an orgy with the Warriors Three. I have been told that she was completely obedient, but since she was unable to hide her fear of what was about to be done to her, the Warriors Three chose to deny her willingly offered services. His friends' compassion for the girl angered Thor, and that alone was the reason for him to condemn her to her cruel punishment. The Warriors were not only oblivious of her penalty, they also expressed their utter repulsion towards it."

Ophelia muttered something under her breath, and Frigga's eyes had widened during Loki's speech. "Is that true?"

"It is, mother. Volstagg told me himself. He and his friends are also willing to testify against Thor."

Frigga swallowed. "Well", she said after a moment, "As devastated as I am to hear of this - it will definitely help you to succeed in fulfilling your plan. And it seems it's about time it did, too."

Loki nodded grimly. "I will go to see to Layla now. It goes without saying that both her condition and my plan are to stay between us."

Ophelia frowned. "Of course, yes - but - if I may ask - the maid Shiari -"

"I will take care of the Vanir", Loki hissed.

Frigga eyed him carefully. "Son - Shiari has been at our services for centuries, and she has never given us any cause for complaints."

"Well, she has now", Loki spat, "It is her fault that Layla is lying in the healers' rooms in the first place!"

Loki scowled at his mother's and Ophelia's identical look of utter disbelief. "I am going to talk to her right now. Until I say otherwise, I expect you not to entrust her with anything of importance anymore."

 

 

* * *

 

 

Strutting down the hallways to his chambers, Loki was lost in his thoughts about Shiari. His mother had been right, after all; in fact, this maid was one of the few members of the palace's staff that had ever managed to earn his trust.

How wrong he had been.

Knowing that he had entrusted somebody entirely untrustworthy with Layla's life worsened both the stinging pain of guilt and his boiling anger, and a rush of concern surged through him when he realized that he had also ordered Shiari to tend to Layla during her recovery from Thor's punishment - who knew how badly she had failed at this task of his?

Again, Loki clenched his fists. Oh, how the maid would pay for her failure.

When he finally arrived at his chambers, Shiari was standing in front of the door, anxiously waiting for him.

"Come in", he snapped.

She followed him into his rooms, nervously fiddling with the sleeves of her gown.

"Your Highness, whatever I may have done to upset you, I can only apologize -"

"Be silent", Loki ordered, narrowing his eyes at Shiari. "I placed my trust in you when I ordered you to accompany Layla to the market and have your eyes on her! What could possibly be an excuse for your letting Layla end up in the healers' rooms?"

Shiari, her eyes still puffy from crying, gasped. "What? But - Your Highness, how am I responsible -"

"I ordered you not to let her out of your sight!"

Shiari stared at Loki with wide eyes. "But I didn't!"

Loki stepped closer, towering over her. "Even worse then - she went to the black market under your supervision?"

The maid shook her head in confusion. "Black market? But we never -"

"Don't lie to me", Loki hissed, "I happen to know the only place in Asgard that one can buy vatvægd at!"

"V-vatvægd? She's taken vatvægd?" Shiari had fought so hard to keep her composure, but at the mention of this terrifying poison, tears started streaming down her beautiful face.

"I found the bottle! She must have bought it at the market - the market that I sent her to under _your_ guidance! You blatantly ignored a direct order by letting her out of your sight!" His voice broke when he added, "I trusted you to look after her!"

"But I did!" Shiari sobbed, "I was with her the entire time, my prince, I swear on my life - I watched every single thing she bought, and none of them was poison!"

"Is that so?" Loki snarled, "Would you care to let me know what exactly it was that she bought, then?"

Shiari furrowed her brows. "She - she bought a lot of clothes and a pair of shoes, then a few books - oh, and a stjarna light. We also had a piece of cake and some juice - um - I - I think that was it -"

"And you expect me to believe that she has spent all her money on a few little nothings? I looked for her change, she barely has any left - which is no surprise considering the prices on the black market -"

Shiari opened her mouth, but Loki relished the feeling of finally being back in control way too much to let go of it so easily.

"You should hope that she survives so you will only have to suffer the sentence for defiance of authority, because if she dies, maid, I will charge you with complicity to murder instead!"

Tears were still running down Shiari's cheeks, and she shook her head desperately. "I swear, Your Highness - we went shopping, then we sat down and had some cake, and then we returned to the palace, but Layla never had the opportunity to - oh!" She gasped when the memory struck her. "The pen! By the norns, I forgot about the pen - she bought this terribly expensive fountain pen before we went home, that's what she spent most of her money on!"

Loki frowned. "A pen?"

Shiari nodded eagerly.

"I did not find a pen in her room."

"But it has to be there! Maybe she hid it somewhere so it won't be stolen - but I swear, it wasn't any poison that she spent her money on, it was this pen - I told her not to buy it, it was too expensive, but she said that she just had to have it because she loves pens more than anything!"

Loki eyed her thoughtfully for a moment. Failing to take care of Layla was already highly untypical of the maid, but would she truly be audacious enough to lie to him? And would he not know if she did, anyway?

He clenched his fists without realizing that he was still holding Layla's letter in his hands.

The truth was that he wasn't _sure_ if he could still sense another person's lies. He had never been separated from his seiðr before, and the loss of it had left an aching hole inside his chest. He felt so powerless, so empty - he wasn't sure which of his powers he still had left. If any.

Eventually, he returned his piercing gaze to Shiari. "I will look for this ominous pen. You better be telling the truth, maid."

"I am", Shiari insisted, "I can help you look for it, too -"

"I am more than capable of searching my slave's room myself", Loki hissed, and Shiari winced slightly.

She hadn't forgotten what Layla and Anjali had told her earlier that day - how the prince had stated that he didn't care about Layla at all - and she'd just considered asking Loki about it, because that really didn't seem to be the case - but the venom in his voice and the glistening fury in his gaze frightened her too much to take any chances with him at the moment.

"How is Layla?" she whispered instead, and Loki narrowed his eyes at her.

"As can be expected after barely surviving a dose of vatvægd."

"But she is - she is still alive?"

Nodding absent-mindedly, Loki glanced down at the crumpled pergament in his hands and straightened it carefully before placing it on his desk. When he looked up to meet Shiari's grief-stricken, tear-stained face, he snapped.

"Leave me alone now, and pray to the Norns that I find this pen you are talking about!"

 

 

* * *

 

 

As soon as Shiari was gone, Loki went straight to Layla's wardrobe again. After finding the bottle of poison, he hadn't bothered to search through the other shelfs - but if there truly was an expensive pen Layla had wanted to hide, that would be the perfect place for it.

After finding nothing but more clothes on the remaining two shelfs, he knelt down to open one of the bottom drawers. Underwear. New, rather beautiful underwear, he noticed, furrowing his brows - why had Layla bought new underwear only moments before or after buying the poison that she had planned to kill herself with? Come to think about it - why had she bought a bathing suit for a trip she had known she would never take? Why had she bought books she'd known she would never read?

Maybe she hadn't been sure about it yet, he mused - but then, of course, Thor had come along to take even the last bit of dignity away from her, and there she was - lying in the healers' rooms, fighting death.

When he pulled out the second drawer, he frowned. It was almost empty, there was only a piece of paper lying inside and - what was that, a dried flower? He took both items out of the drawer and stared at them for a very long moment, his mouth dry.

It was the elskablóm flower and the small note he had once left for Layla after preparing breakfast for her.

She had kept them. She had kept them as if they were tiny treasures - and, Loki realized as a terrible pang shot through his heart, that's probably exactly what they had been to her. Tiny treasures, little testaments to his softer side, small straws for her to cling on to when all she'd wanted from him had been his love and all he'd ever given her had been pain and even more pain.

He wondered how many times she had taken them out of the drawer when he had treated her like dirt again before banishing her to this room. How many times had she been sitting here on the cold stone floor after being hurt and tormented by him, crying bitter tears while trying to understand how come the very same man that would pick her favourite flower for her one day, would hurt her so cruelly the next?

' _Do you really care about me?'_ she had once asked him with a small, frightened voice, unable to look at him. And he had told her that he did, because he had sensed her despair - but never had he truly acted as if he did. It was no surprise, really, that Layla had lost her mind over his confusing behaviour - he couldn't even understand himself anymore. It had been so obvious what she had wanted, needed from him - his affection, his love - yet he had denied her it over and over again. For every time that he had let her come closer he had pushed her away with double the force; for every smile he'd conjured on her face he had made her weep even harder the next day.

He put the small flower and the piece of pergament back into the drawer - carefully, gently, as if scared that they might break from his touch - and stared at them for a moment. The two small items looked lost inside the big, empty drawer, and he swallowed hard at the sight.

This was all he had ever given Layla. A flower from the nearby garden and a small, hastily scribbled note. Those were the only gifts he had chosen to give the woman he loved. And what's more - they, he suddenly remembered, had only been an apology for hurting her the night before.

He clenched his wounded hand into a tight fist, welcoming the sharp pain with grim satisfaction.

What was he even doing here? Searching through Layla's belongings for any kind of proof that he wasn't the only one who had failed her? Even if Shiari hadn't neglected her task of supervising Layla, it was still his fault that Layla had felt so lost and desperate to begin with - it was his fault that she had decided to seek solace in death.

It wasn't Shiari's fault, it wasn't even Thor's fault. It was his, his alone.

He rose from the floor and slowly walked back into his room to sit down at the desk. Never in his life had his heart felt so heavy before.

When his gaze fell onto the crumpled piece of paper he'd placed there only minutes ago, he closed his eyes for a moment before reaching out for it. Imagining the agony Layla had surely endured while writing the short letter hurt him just as much as the fact that she hadn't even thought it necessary to mention him in it.

Well, what did he expect? He had made this woman suffer the worst kinds of pain for months, and she had still reached out for him over and over again only to be rejected just as many times. He'd pushed her into the abyss, and now he dared to be disappointed that she hadn't said goodbye while falling into it?

He held his breath, trailing the fine lines of Layla's words with trembling fingers, and felt the sudden urge to destroy this small proof of his failure - he should burn the letter and never think of it again - he couldn't take it to look at it anymore.

When he moved his shaking hands to rip the paper into pieces, he hesitated - these might be the last words Layla had said in her life, or at least the last ones he'd ever hear - he couldn't destroy them just as carelessly as he had destroyed her -

With a quick movement, he yanked one of his desk drawers open. No, he couldn't destroy Layla's words - but he couldn't keep looking at them, either.

Very carefully, he put the letter inside the drawer - and he frowned at the sudden feeling of something unfamiliar nudging against his fingertips.

It was a small, wooden box. A small, wooden box that he had never seen before, to be precise.

Loki slowly reached out for it and eyed it suspiciously for a moment before he finally opened it. At the sight of a piece of pergament with a painfully familiar handwriting on it, his breath hitched, and a fist as cold and hard as ice seemed to clench around his heart. He had to blink a few times before he could start reading.

 

 

_Loki,_  
_if you're reading this, it probably means that I didn't make it back from the lake. I don't expect you to feel bad about it, anyway, but in case you do, I just want you to know that it's okay._  
_I've been so scared of dying for the last few months, but when I was thinking about it today, I suddenly realized that what I've actually been scared of the most was the thought of dying alone in this world. But I won't, right? I think that's why I'm at peace with it now. I mean, I will be with you when I'll have to face death, and that, I think, is more than I could have hoped for. I won't be alone when I die. I will be with the person I love._  
_I know that it's completely irrational; it's crazy, and I don't understand it myself - but it's still true._  
_I love you with all my heart, Loki._  
_As terrifying as my life has been since I was taken from my home, I wouldn't change a thing about it. Everything I've gone through has led me to you, after all. And I'd rather die loving you than live without knowing you._  
_I'm so sorry that I wasn't good enough for you to love me, too._  
_Layla_

_PS: I found this at the market today and I just had to buy it for you. I hope you like it. Maybe it will make you remember me from time to time._

 

 

Time seemed to stand still. Loki didn't know how long he had been staring at the letter, his sight long blurred by unshed tears, his breathing shallow and painful.

When he finally managed to tear his eyes away from the paper and looked back at the wooden box, he felt the remnants of his heart shatter into even smaller pieces.

There it was, the pen the maid had been talking about. The pen that Layla, as Shiari had told him, ' _just had to have because she loves pens more than anything'_. Loki was fairly certain that it wasn't pens that Layla had been referring to with this statement.

His fingers were cold and trembling when he touched the pen. It was beautiful - solid gold, adorned with small emeralds and black sapphires - and without any question very valuable.

For a long, seemingly endless moment, Loki just sat there, gently brushing his fingertips over the beautiful pen. He never even noticed the tears that were running down his face. Eventually, he rose from his desk, carefully put the pen and Layla's letter back into the drawer, and, without even thinking about where he wanted to go, crossed the room and left his chambers.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Navah didn't seem surprised to see Loki return to his mortal slave's bed. She did, however, raise an eyebrow when she saw him place a big, beautiful bouquet of elskablóm flowers and a stuffed animal on the nightstand.

When the prince caught her curious gaze, he cleared his throat.

"Tell me how she is."

Navah swallowed. "The antidote is working, my prince, and the skaða potion had an amazing effect on her - her heartbeat has become much stronger and her body temperature is back to normal, too."

"But - ?"

"But she hasn't woken up or shown any sign of regaining conscience so far."

Loki just nodded, not taking his eyes from Layla.

"Leave me alone with her", he ordered quietly after a moment.

Navah bowed slightly and quickly left the room. When the door closed behind her, Loki knelt down beside the bed, his hands wrapped around Layla's, to bury his face in the crook of her neck, and inhaled deeply.  
She still smelled the way she always had - though there was a distinct undertone of different herbs and potions lingering on her skin - and Loki nuzzled his nose into her soft hair, desperately breathing in her soothing scent.

"Layla, please -" he whispered into her hair, his voice breaking, "Elskán min, I am so sorry for everything that I have made you endure." He lifted his head to look into her pale face, and when he suddenly heard himself starting to beg, his voice was so small that he almost didn't recognize it. "Please, Layla, please - don't leave me - please come back -"

Leaning over her again, he covered her face with soft, featherlight kisses, leaving small wet spots on her pallid skin where his tears fell down.

"I will give you everything you need, my love, everything you want and everything you could ever wish for, if you only come back to me -"

When he looked at her again, he gently wiped away the wet traces his tears had left on her skin. How many times had Layla's cheeks been stained with her tears because of him? It was about time that he shed some of his own.

He trailed her soft, pink lips with his thumb, and a faint smile graced his face when he spoke his next words.

"I love you, Layla - do you hear me? I love you -"

A sharp pang reminded him of the undeniable truth that Layla wouldn't be lying here if he'd only said these words sooner, and he suddenly found himself unable to stop whispering them to her - _I love you, Layla, I love you_ \- maybe, if he'd only tell her these words often enough, it would somehow make up for all those months that he had made her wait to hear them - _but maybe_ , a cruel voice inside his head mused, _maybe it's simply too late to make up for anything, and you've just lost the one and only woman you've ever loved because you were too arrogant, too weak, too much of a coward to admit it -_

He buried his face in Layla's soft hair again, his arms wrapped around her body, desperately pressing her against his chest, never ceasing the endless, frantically whispered confessions of his love. It felt like an eternity, but it didn't matter to Loki - time didn't seem to exist, the worlds didn't seem to exist - the only thing that mattered was Layla.

When she finally replied to him, her voice was nothing more than a shaky whisper.

Loki's teary eyes immediately snapped open to look at her, and for a brief, cruel, painful second, he thought he had only imagined it - Layla's eyes were still closed, her skin still just as pale as before, and she still didn't seem to be conscious - but then she said it again, and this time, not only could Loki hear an unintelligible sound, he could also see her trembling lips moving, and, most importantly, he could very clearly understand the words that she was saying as she whispered,

"I love you, too."

 

 


	41. Nothing But The Truth

Loki could feel his heart miss a few beats before it started beating even faster with joy. Pressing Layla against his chest again, he covered her head with wild kisses, his hands buried in her hair.

"Oh Layla - elskán min, you're awake -"

Layla's eyelids fluttered slightly before she finally managed to open them. A peaceful smile spread over her pale face when her eyes found Loki's.

"Loki", she whispered, closing her eyes again.

"Yes, I am here with you, my love -"

She just nodded, her head barely moving.

Loki couldn't hold back anymore; he cupped her face and brushed his lips against Layla's, savouring the familiar, soothing feeling of her soft, warm mouth pressed against his. It took all the strength he had not to overwhelm her with a passionate kiss. Murmuring her name over and over again like a feverish, desperate incantation, he let his lips trail over her skin to cover every inch of her face with tender kisses.

When he finally pulled away to look at her again, he frowned upon seeing tears streaming down her face.

"Layla?"

He carefully let her sink back into the bed and reached out to brush her tears away.

"Do not cry", he murmured softly, "Everything will be fine, my love."

Layla swallowed. "I didn't want you to die", she whispered under her breath, her eyes closed. "Should've warned you. I'm so sorry."

Loki's frown deepened, and he took her hands into his again and lifted them carefully to press them against his lips.

"You have no reason at all to be sorry, my love."

"You shouldn't be here - I didn't - didn't want you to die. So sorry -"

"Layla", Loki said, deeply confused, "I will not die. And neither will you. You are fine - everything will be fine."

Layla opened her eyes again, looking at Loki with a blank expression on her face for a moment. When his words finally settled in, her eyes widened slowly.

"I am - fine?"

She blinked a few times and let her gaze wander around the room. Loki watched her, concerned, as every bit of peace vanished from her face and was replaced with a look of utter panic.

"Is this the healers' room?"

"It is", Loki replied, confused when Layla's eyes widened even more.

She slowly pulled her hands out of his.

"I'm alive?" she whispered, horror-stricken, and when Loki nodded slowly, she added, "This is not another dream?"

Loki swallowed and reached back for her hands, but she kept them pressed tightly against her chest.

"This is no dream, darling - everything is fine -"

When the realization finally hit her with full force, Layla closed her eyes, overwhelmed by a wave of despair.

This was no dream, no heaven, nor whatever her blurred mind had made her believe it was.

This was real.

She had survived.

When she felt Loki's hand brush against her cheek, she recoiled violently, her eyes snapping back open.

"Don't touch me!"

Loki frowned. "My love -"

"Don't call me that", she tried to shout, but all she could manage was a barely audible whisper.

Loki took a deep breath. "Layla, I understand your - your confusion. We should talk."

If only she had had more strength, Layla was certain that she would have laughed hysterically at this.

Talk? He wanted to _talk?_

She met his gaze and let out a weak huff. "Nothing to talk", she croaked, her voice hoarse and trembling.

"There are quite a few things that we should talk about. That we should have talked about a long time ago, actually. You need to know the truth, Layla."

"The truth?"

"Yes."

When Layla tried to sit up and whimpered at the sudden pain she could feel in her stomach, Loki leant towards her in concern.

"Do not strain yourself, you need to rest - would you like something to eat or drink?"

As much as she wanted to reject his offer - her throat was indeed painfully dry.

"Drink", she rasped reluctantly after a moment, and she narrowed her eyes as she watched the prince rise from the bed, cross the room and then return with a glass of cold water. It seemed an odd thing for him to do - Layla couldn't remember to have ever seen him stand up to get something for someone before. When her gaze fell to the glass of light blue liquid, she frowned. "What is this?"

"Just water with a few drops of strengthening elixir. You will feel better after drinking this."

She let him help her take a few sips, frustrated about being so dependent on him, but she wasn't sure if she would have been able to hold the glass on her own - her fingers were trembling helplessly and her whole body was aching.

When the glass was emptied, she noticed with surprise that she could already feel the pain begin to ease.

Loki gave her a soft smile. "How do you feel?"

She just raised a shoulder, her gaze pinned to the blanket. Really, what did he expect her to say? Even with the potion, she still felt like shit.

And it didn't help that she could feel Loki's piercing eyes on her.

He was much too close for comfort, too - he was sitting on the bed right next to her; his leg brushing against hers - she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, she could even smell him - this unique, fresh, male scent of his. Despite everything that had happened, it still had an odd effect on her - every fibre of her body was already screaming at her to reach out for him and let him wrap his arms around her, to inhale this wonderful scent and allow it to comfort her, to lose herself inside of Loki's embrace and simply forget about everything she had heard him say in the dungeons -

But for once, the reasonable side of her brain had the upper hand, and she stayed stock-still, carefully avoiding any eye or body contact with the prince. She wasn't sure if she could keep her distance if she were to meet his eyes, let alone touch him.

After a few moments, Loki cleared his throat. "Layla - I am so - I am glad that you are awake. Navah did everything she could to heal you - and I -"

"Why didn't you just let me die?" Layla blurted out.

"I could still change my mind about that", Loki countered sharply, mentally cursing himself the second the words passed his mouth. This was not at all the way he had planned this conversation. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just say the things he'd said when Layla had still been asleep? The one thing he wanted to tell her was how much he loved her - and instead, he threatened her?

_Well done, Silvertongue._

He took a deep breath before he said, "I found your letter in my desk."

Layla froze. With everything that had happened, she had completely forgotten about the damned letter.

"Oh", she said tonelessly, still refusing to look at the prince.

"And I - I - Layla, did you not hear what I said when you woke up?"

She frowned. The only thing she could remember were dreams - wonderful, magical dreams - dreams of Loki and her, together, lying in bed, laughing, touching each other - Loki, telling her how much he loved her - how much he'd missed her - how sorry he was - but nothing of this had been real. The reality that she had woken up to was the same that she'd tried to escape from.

"Layla? Did you hear what -"

"There's nothing I need to hear from you anymore", Layla interrupted him quietly. She wasn't even scared of his reaction to her disrespecting him anymore. What could he possibly take from her that he and his brother hadn't already taken? "Just get it over with already", she added coldly, "Why did you save my life - to mock me a little more before you take it? Or did you do it to give me to your brother?"

"My brother?" Loki repeated, irritated, but Layla didn't reply. "Layla, I will not give you to my brother. I also do not wish to mock you, and I most certainly do not wish to take your life."

"Why not?" Layla cried out, "Haven't you had enough of torturing me yet? You took my freedom, my family, my dignity; you took everything I had - when is it finally going to be enough for you?"

"Listen to me -"

"No", she whispered, shaking her head slowly, "I've been listening to you for far too long - please just get it over with - if you want to do it yourself, fine, but don't let me wait for it any longer -"

"Layla, be still and listen to me", Loki said firmly, but she didn't even seem to hear him anymore.

She was still shaking her head and whispering, her eyes closed. "Please just do it - get it over with - kill me just like you killed the girls before me - just _do_ it -"

Eventually, Loki reached out for her hands and took them into his. When Layla's eyes flew open, he moved closer and held her gaze.

"Layla, I didn't kill any of the girls before you, and I will certainly not kill you, either. Now would you please listen to me?"

Maybe it was the way he was looking at her with these beautiful, strangely concerned eyes; maybe it was his touch which was already sending sparks through her body; maybe it was the genuinity in his voice or maybe it was the fact that the proud, arrogant prince had just begged her to listen to him - but finally, Layla snapped out of her haze.

"Fine", she said after a long moment, "I will listen to you."

Loki furrowed his brows, an unfamiliar surge of anxiety suddenly clawing at his insides. How in the nine realms was he even supposed to start this conversation? He should have prepared himself, he should have planned this - he wasn't ready -

"Alright", he said slowly, his voice hoarse, "I will tell you everything you want to know, I will answer every single one of your questions, and I promise that I will tell you nothing but the truth."

Layla gave him a long, thoughtful look before she made a decision. "Tell me what you did to your former bedslaves."

The god nodded. "Very well. As far as I know, you have been told that I murder all my bedslaves once I've tired of them -"

"You told me so yourself."

"Well, no - technically, I did not, I just never - rectified your wrong assumptions." He almost chuckled at the glare that Layla gave him. "I should have told you the truth, I know that now. It was wrong and cruel of me to make you believe that I was going to take your life, and I am sorry."

Layla wasn't sure what shocked her more - what Loki was saying or the fact that he was actually apologizing to her.

Loki sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I am sure you know by now that I've had many pleasure slaves over the centuries. Some stayed longer than others, depending on how - pleasurable they were."

He gave Layla a crooked smile which she didn't return. The thought of Loki's former bedslaves put an inexplicably painful lump in her throat that she didn't seem to be able to swallow. When Loki noticed Layla's expression, he swallowed hard before he resumed talking.

"I never cared much about my - my maids. I used them to satisfy my needs and then dismissed them to their room, and once I had tired of them, I disposed of them and then, eventually, acquired a new slave - but I never murdered any of them, Layla. I may be cruel at times, my sweet, but I am no monster."

Layla narrowed her eyes at Loki. "How did you dispose of them if not by killing them?"

Loki smiled. "You may have noticed that I am rather - well - _demanding_ when it comes to my sexual preferences. If a woman has spent a fair amount of her lifetime fulfilling my desires, I think she deserves a reward of some kind, wouldn't you agree?"

"It's not like you would have given them the chance to say no, anyways", Layla muttered, and Loki sighed.

"Admittedly, no. But even though they were my slaves and only did as they were told - when their time with me was coming to an end, I always saw it fit to somehow - well, acknowledge their efforts, so to speak. So I released them. I let them choose whether they wanted to return to their families or go somewhere else to begin anew."

Layla stared at Loki with wide eyes. "You released them?"

"Yes."

"But - but - then why has nobody ever heard from them again?"

"I prefer to maintain silence about my doings. The women were ordered to cut all ties with anyone from the palace and to keep the time they'd spent as my slave confidential; both for their and my sake."

Layla bit her lip, buried in her thoughts for a moment, her gaze pinned to her blanket again. Then, without looking back at Loki, she said, "And why did you go on a vacation with them before you sent them away?"

Loki frowned. "What?"

"I was told that after every vacation you go on with one of your slaves, you always return home alone. That's why I thought - that - that -"

The god's face softened. "That I killed them while we were away? No. I am telling you the truth, Layla. I let every single woman go. But I always wanted to make sure that they arrived safely at their chosen destination, so I accompanied them."

Again, Layla looked up to eye Loki carefully.

All this time, until just a minute ago, she had been convinced that Loki had killed his former slaves. She had already been surprised to hear that he'd let them live, baffled to hear that he had released them - but that he had actually travelled with them to ensure their safe arrival was almost too much for her mind to process.

"I thought you said you didn't care about them?" she said eventually, her tone betraying her distrust, and again, Loki sighed.

"Even if I did not particularly care about these women, I did spend a fair amount of time being intimate with them, after all. That gave me enough reason to at least ensure their safe travel and wish them a promising journey through their future life. I took them home or wherever they wished to go, bought them what they needed and left them with a fair amount of gold before I returned to the palace." When he caught Layla's gaze, he gave her a sad smile. "Don't look at me like that, Layla. I know I can be cruel, but is it really that hard for you to believe that I can also be a decent man?"

She wasn't sure what to respond to that, and so she just looked down again, utterly confused, until a sudden thought struck her.

"No, that doesn't make any sense. I have been warned by several people that you always get rid of your slaves when they become too attached to you."

Loki frowned, but then nodded slowly. "Yes, that is true. I was not aware that it has become a commonly known fact, though."

"So if you cared enough to want a good life for them, why would you send them away as soon as they started to like you?"

"Layla -" Loki said, leaning towards the girl, but she moved away from him.

"No. You promised to tell me the truth."

"I did", Loki replied quietly, "And I am telling you the truth. Yes, after a certain point in time I decided to start sending my slaves away as soon as they seemed to grow too fond of me."

"Why would you do that?"

He was silent for a moment, but eventually, he lifted his gaze again to look at Layla. "For a long time, I did not care about such things. The only reason for me to release my slaves was when I had grown tired of them, and I never cared whether they liked me or not. Until, a very long time ago, my then pleasure slave slowly started to become quite attached to me. Very attached, in fact. She became obsessed with the idea of being in a relationship with me, she even attacked other maids in the palace that she thought I was seeing. I did not pay much attention to that at first - to be honest, it even amused me. But eventually, it turned into a problem, and I decided to release her sooner than I had planned. I sent her back to her family as a free woman and considered the problem solved." An unfamiliar look of sorrow crossed Loki's face. "Later, I found out that she never left Asgard when I sent her away. She stayed here, close to the palace, to watch me from afar. And the very day after I had come home with a new pleasure slave, she was found dead in the palace gardens. She had taken her own life."

Layla stared at Loki in shock, and he returned her gaze with genuine sadness in his eyes.

"From this day on I released my bedslaves as soon as I started to notice a growing attachment from their side."

"You - you did that to - to protect them?" Layla asked, utter disbelief on her face.

Loki nodded. "So to say, yes. That was also when I started to accompany them to their homes to ensure their safe arrival."

For a moment, they were sitting in silence.

"Layla, when I heard about what you had done -" Loki shook his head. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if the same fate had befallen you."

Layla bit her lip. "So - when you told me that you wanted to travel to this lake with me -"

The prince smiled ruefully. "No, darling. I did not want to send you away. I really just wanted to take you to the Sævar Lake and spend a few peaceful days together with you."

A sudden pain shot through Layla's heart, and she felt tears pool in her eyes when she whispered, "Because I don't have anyone left you could send me back to."

Loki frowned. "What?" He watched Layla, surprised to see teardrops running down her face. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself to ask her a question that he was not entirely sure he ever wanted to hear the answer to. "Do you still wish to return to your family?"

Layla sobbed out. "It doesn't matter anymore, does it? I failed! I - I just wanted to be with them, but I failed -"

"What -"

"I know that they're - that they're dead -"

When her voice broke on the last word, Loki instinctively moved closer to her, but again, Layla refused to let him touch her.

"Layla, your family are not dead -", Loki said, but Layla interrupted him right away.

"You promised not to lie to me!"

"But it is not a lie -"

"Yes, it is!" Layla cried, "I heard you - when you were in the dungeons! I sneaked down there to - to talk to you - and I heard you talk to your brother - you said that my family were - were -"

She sobbed out, and Loki reached to cup her face despite her efforts to escape his touch.

"Listen to me, Layla", he said firmly, forcing her to look at him, "Your family is just fine. Do you understand? They are all alive and well."

Layla stared at Loki, her vision blurred from her tears. "What?"

"They are alive", he repeated, "I lied to Thor to keep them safe. When he asked for them, I thought it wiser to let him believe that they were dead." When Layla kept staring at him with wide eyes, he gave her a reassuring smile. "It is true, little one. On the day you were punished by Thor, I travelled to Midgard to look for them. I talked to your mother and your sister for quite a while. I promise, your family is perfectly fine."

"They are fine", Layla repeated slowly, and Loki nodded.

He reached out for something on the nightstand, held it in Layla's direction, and said gently, "Your little sister asked me to give you this."

Layla's breath hitched, and she stared at the little plush horse in Loki's hands with teary eyes - at its dark fur, the light brown, neatly braided tail and the raddled foreleg which Sophia had always used to carry the horse around by wherever she was going - she felt as if her heart was bursting with emotions when she reached out for the horse with heavily trembling fingers, anxious thoughts running through her dazed mind.

_What if this was another one of Loki's lies, what if the horse was just an illusion -_

When she finally felt the soft material beneath her fingertips, she burst into tears and pressed the horse tightly against her chest.

"They're alive?" she sobbed, "Sophia and my parents are alive?"

"They are."

For a long while, Layla could do nothing but cry, the little plush horse still in her arms. Loki watched her with a thick lump in his throat. He longed to comfort her, to hold her, to stroke her hair - but so far, everytime that he had tried to touch her, Layla had pulled away - and so he just sat beside her, waiting for her to calm down.

Eventually, she looked up at him again. "You were looking for my family? Why?"

"My mother asked me to. She gave you a promise, after all."

Hundreds of questions were whirling through Layla's mind, and her gaze shifted between the little stuffed animal in her arms and the prince sitting beside her.

"So that's why you left Asgard? Because you wanted to look for my family?"

Loki nodded. "I did not expect you to even notice, I was gone for no more than a few hours."

"I - I was told that you were travelling - that you'd be gone for months - I thought you'd left me -"

"I would never leave you, little one", Loki replied softly, "And I am so sorry for everything that happened while I was gone. Nobody but my mother was supposed to even know about my absence, but somehow, Thor found out about it, and he took the opportunity to call you into his chambers. I should have known. Layla, I am so sorry that I was not there to protect you."

Layla shook her head frantically. This was all too much for her to process.

"But - but - no, this - doesn't make any sense - none at all - Thor said - he said -"

"What did he say?"

"He - he said that it was your idea to send me to him and his friends - to show me that I don't mean anything to you - and he said that you told him about Sophia and - and -"

"Layla", Loki said firmly, "Everything Thor has told you about me is a blatant lie. Believe me."

Layla's head started to pound, and she suddenly noticed how utterly exhausted she was.

"But why didn't you let me go then?" she asked weakly, "You knew very well that I - that I had started to care about you - you knew I had feelings for you; you even forced me to admit that I was jealous -"

Loki lowered his gaze ruefully. "Yes. I know. And if you had been anybody else, I would have sent you away a long time ago."

"Then tell me why you didn't", Layla whispered, her eyes closed.

"Is that not obvious?"

Loki's voice was soft, but Layla just shook her head without looking at him. Nothing was obvious. Her whole world had been turned upside down over and over again, and she had no idea what she was supposed to believe in anymore.

"I did not let you go, Layla, because I care about you just as much as you care about me. Maybe more."

Layla let out a choked laugh. "You promised not to lie to me anymore."

"I am not lying, darling. Did no one tell you why I was sent to the dungeons in the first place? I very nearly killed my brother for what he did to you. I swear by the Norns, Layla, I am telling you nothing but the truth."

"No, you're not!" Layla suddenly exclaimed, her voice shrill, "I heard you, remember? I heard every single word that you said to Thor! You said that I was nothing but a whore to you, and that you were only angry because the flogging had left me useless, and that - that you'd soon get rid of me and that you'd give me to him if he wanted me -"

Loki closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he reached out to take Layla's hands, and this time, he didn't let her pull away.

"Layla, I told Thor that your family were dead, too. I told Thor that I would support him as king. I told Thor many things, my love, and none of them were true. Had I known that you were listening to me -" He hesitated. "You came to the dungeons to talk to me?"

"Yes, I - I just had to know the truth - you told me that you cared about me, then Thor told me that you didn't - I was so - so confused and I just wanted to hear the truth from you -"

"And instead, you heard me talking to Thor." Loki took a deep breath. "Is that why -"

Layla closed her eyes. "I couldn't - I just -"

Her voice broke, and Loki leaned towards her again. When she didn't move away from him, he finally wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace, his cheek pressed against hers.

"Little one, listen to me. I was a fool for not telling you the truth sooner, and I will never forgive myself for what my cowardice has done to you. It's the reason that I almost lost you, and I don't know what I would have done if I had. I should have told you the truth a long, long time ago, but I was afraid, and I was weak, and I was an utter fool."

"What is the truth?" Layla whispered, too scared to actually cling to the small glimmer of hope that she could feel sparking in her tight chest.

Loki pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "The truth? The truth is that I love you, Layla. I love you more than anything."

He could feel her slump into his embrace, her hands clinging to his chest, and he pulled her even closer into his arms, gently rocking her back and forth.

"Please", she sobbed out, "Please don't say that if you don't -"

"I mean it, Layla", he whispered, "I love you so much. And I should have never made you doubt my love for you. Forgive me, elskán min - please forgive me -"

Layla couldn't stop crying. She wasn't even sure why she was crying - all the emotions and fears of the last few months were bursting out of her, mixed with an all-consuming feeling of relief. Her family were alive, Loki said that he loved her - everything, absolutely everything had changed in a matter of minutes, and if it wasn't for the soreness in her entire body, she would never have believed that she wasn't just dreaming again.

She wrapped her arms around Loki and buried her face in the crook of his neck, taking a deep breath to inhale his addictive scent. He was still gently rocking her, his hands stroking her hair, his heart beating fast and steadily against her chest.

"Say it again", she whispered, "Please say it again."

Loki pulled back slightly to cup Layla's face and look into her teary eyes.

"I love you", he breathed, his mouth just barely touching her, "I love you, Layla."

And when his soft lips brushed against hers, the confusing haze in her weary mind finally cleared. It felt like a ray of sunlight breaking through a grey and cloudy sky, like a spring of water in a parched desert, and suddenly, Layla ultimately knew that she wasn't dreaming anymore - because none of her dreams had ever felt like this, none of her dreams had ever left her with such an overwhelming, fulfilling blaze of love and happiness that was surging through her body. And as confused as she still was, as sore as her body still felt, as many questions as she still had - there was one thing that she definitely, beyond any doubt, knew for sure, and she leant back and cupped Loki's face, locking eyes with him, as she whispered,

"I love you, too."

 

 

* * *

 

 

Loki and Layla couldn't stop kissing and touching each other. They both savoured the feeling of finally being close to one another again, and for a while, nothing else mattered.

After what felt like an eternity, Layla pulled away to look at Loki.

"So I won't become Thor's slave?"

Loki shook his head. "Of course not. Do not worry, he will never touch you again."

"But - but he's the king, if he orders you to -"

"He will not be king for much longer."

Layla's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

Loki pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Leave that to me. I will take care of everything and very soon, you will never have to fear my brother again. All you need to do now is rest."

"But -"

"Do you trust me?"

She looked at him for a very long moment before she replied, "No, I don't."

The god chuckled. "There is it, the big mouth I fell in love with."

Layla frowned. "Loki - I - I - there's something you have to explain to me."

"Anything you want me to."

"I just don't understand - if what you're saying is true - then why didn't you tell me you cared about me all this time?"

Loki avoided her gaze. "I know that it's difficult for you to understand. You don't know what it is like to grow up here, on Asgard, after all. But I was raised to believe that mortals are far beneath me, and that slaves are nothing more than lowly workers who exist only to serve me. This was what I had been taught ever since I was born, and it's what I have believed my entire life, Layla, for thousands of years. Such convictions are not easily changed, especially considering my royal origins." He let out a sigh. "You cannot imagine what disgrace it would be for the royal family if it became known that one of Odin's sons had feelings for a slave, and a mortal one at that -"

A cold fear surged through Layla. "But - but nothing's changed -"

"Of course something has changed, my sweet. _I_ have changed. I stopped caring whether I am a disgrace or not. You mean more to me than my family's honour."

A brief smile flickered over Layla's face, but then she eyed Loki warily again. "But - well, okay, I get that you didn't want to make anything official - but even when it was just the two of us, you treated me like - why the hell did you treat me the way you did?"

Loki hesitated. "I will not lie to you - in the beginning, it was because I wanted to break your will. When I saw you at the slave market, you intrigued me - and yes, it was your mortal fragility that appealed most to me. You know me by now - you know how much I enjoy dominating you, overpowering you - and your weakness excited me. I never had a woman as helpless and frail as you are -"

"Wow", Layla muttered, "Flattering."

He grinned. "I felt attracted to you because of other reasons, too. There was something about you - your eyes and the fire inside them - the moment I saw you, I wanted to have you. And when the healers sent you to my chambers a few weeks later, I knew that I had made the right decision. You were beautiful, yes, but you were also just as fierce as you were fragile. When you bit me on our first night together - that was when I knew that, despite your fragility, you were going to be the biggest challenge I've ever had with a woman. And I found that I enjoyed to be challenged. It excited me."

Layla swallowed, and for a moment, they sat in silence.

"I didn't expect you to keep fighting me for as long as you did. And while I enjoyed your fierceness, it also angered me - you are a mortal, after all, and I thought that I could not let your refusal to yield to me go unpunished. I was torn, Layla - torn between admiration for your strong will and the desire to break it. If only you had submitted to me -" He shook his head. "But you didn't. And the more you fought me, the more I wanted to subdue you." With a rueful smile, Loki pressed a kiss to Layla's hand. "When I looked at you after the coronation feast, I thought I was looking at a broken woman - and it was only then that I realized that I didn't feel any triumph over breaking you. I didn't feel like I had won. I felt like I had lost something instead. I even felt remorse. And suddenly, I felt the urge to amend the wrong that I had done to you."

"That's why you were so nice to me. Why you took me to the stables and for a ride."

Loki nodded.

"I thought you only did that to calm the riots in your society." When a look of guilt crossed Loki's face, Layla gave him a sad smile. "That was the main reason, right?"

"Well", Loki said slowly, "Yes, I wanted to calm the conflicts my brother's and my treatment of you had provoked. But that was not the only reason. And when we were alone in my chambers -" He gave her a soft smile. "I assure you, at those times, Asgard's politics were the last thing on my mind. And the more time we spent together, the more I found myself enthralled by you. I enjoyed being with you."

"But it didn't last", Layla murmured, "I remember when you burst into Thor's chambers -"

Her voice broke at the memory, and Loki took her hand again, the sorrow visible on his face.

"I know", he whispered, "Layla, what you need to understand is that Thor and I have always been rivals - we have been fighting with each other for millenia, and I have always, every single time, been outdone by him. His coronation was just the last, but nevertheless the most painful defeat I had to endure. When I entered his chambers to see you in bed with him and heard you call him "my king" - Layla, I was mad with jealousy and fury; I thought you had been with him willingly -"

"But I wasn't! He raped me! And he forced me to call him king! When I saw you, I thought you'd save me from him -"

Tears were running down her cheeks, and Loki felt his heart shatter at the sight of her grief-stricken face.

"I cannot tell you how sorry I am", he murmured, wiping her tears away with his thumbs.

"I just don't get it", she whispered, "I don't get it! If you already cared about me so much back then - why did you still treat me the way you did? I never understood what I was doing wrong - "

"You were doing nothing wrong, Layla, nothing at all. You were perfect. Too perfect for me, perhaps."

"What do you mean?"

Loki smiled softly. "Oh, my mother knew it from the start. She knew from the moment she first set eyes on you that I was bound to fall in love with you. And she was right - I did. But I refused to accept my feelings for you, and I did everything I could to deny them; to stop them. I kept telling myself that I would come back to my senses and realize that you were nothing but a slave to me if I just treated you like one. But no matter how much I denied my feelings for you, they still became stronger and stronger."

Layla let out something between a chuckle and a sob. "You sure had an interesting way of showing your feelings. I mean - if you'd just treated me like a common slave, that would have been one thing - but you - you downright _tormented_ me -"

"To be honest - looking back at it now, I believe that my growing feelings for you were indeed the very reason I was so exceptionally cruel towards you. I did not only want to remind myself of your place in my life, I wanted to remind you of it, too. I wanted to make sure that you would never grow too attached to me. I feared that I would have to let you go, just like the women before you, if you ever began to like me."

"But you knew I liked you!"

Loki gave her a sad smile. "By the time I finally realized the way you felt about me, it was far too late for me to send you away, Layla. Since I never cared much about the maids I had before you, I didn't mind sending them away. And if I were a good man, I would have let you go, too. But I am selfish. I didn't want to lose you."

"So you treated me like shit to remind yourself that I was shit and to show me what a shithead you are?"

The god blinked at Layla. Then, he burst into laughter. "I assume you could say it like that, yes."

Layla opened her mouth to say something, but closed it after glancing at Loki.

"Speak freely, Layla, please. You have nothing to fear from me. Never again."

He didn't need to tell her twice.

"Well, sorry, but what you've done is truly the most idiotic thing I've ever heard anybody do."

"I expressly agree."

Layla shook her head, and Loki moved closer to let his hands run through her hair.

"I was a fool, Layla. I was not able to accept who I was; I was confused and furious about myself, and you of all people had to pay the price for my inner strife. I cannot tell you how sorry I am."

She didn't reply. What on Earth could she possibly say to him? This man had hurt, raped and humiliated her countless times, and here he was, apologizing to her. It didn't matter that she loved him - she couldn't just tell him that she would forgive and forget and that everything was fine. Because it wasn't. And it would never be.

"I don't know what to say", she murmured eventually, and Loki nodded.

"You don't have to say a word, my love." He eyed her carefully. "How do you feel now?"

"I - I don't know, really -"

She closed her eyes for a moment. They were burning with tiredness, and her head was spinning.

Loki pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I think you should rest for a while. I will call for Navah -"

"No!" she exclaimed, shaking her head weakly, "No, please stay -"

"Of course I will stay with you. But you still need to sleep -"

Again, Layla shook her head. "But - but what about -" She blinked when she noticed how sluggish her voice had become. She really was exhausted.

Loki smiled at her. "I know that there are still many things we need to talk about. And I promise that we will. But for now, you need to rest - your body is still fighting the poison, darling."

 _The poison_ \- that stirred something in her mind, and a fleeting thought was suddenly whirling around in Layla's memories - but just when she was about to catch it, it was already gone again.

She yawned. "Promise that you'll stay with me?"

"I promise."

"And can you - can you hold me while I'm sleeping?"

What she could see on Loki's face in that moment must have been the sweetest smile that she had ever seen, Layla thought as he crawled into her bed to carefully wrap his arms around her. When he pulled the blanket over her body, she let her head sink onto his chest, her eyes already closed, and took a deep breath to inhale his soothing scent.

He pulled her closer and started to stroke her hair, and Layla could already feel sleep tugging at her mind when a sudden thought struck her.

"Loki?" she mumbled sleepily, "My family - how are they?"

"They are fine", he assured her gently, "They miss you, but they are fine."

Fiddling with the little horse that she was still holding in one hand, Layla asked, "And my mum? Did she look - healthy?"

Loki hesitated. "She is at best health, little one. She told me that she had been sick for a while, but apparently, she has been cured."

Layla's head snapped upwards. "Cured?"

"Yes. She is doing well now."

"But - but she was sick for years! Her doctor said it was incurable -"

The god brushed his lips against her temple before he gently guided her head back to his chest.

"Believe me, she is fine. Her doctor told her that she has been fully healed."

"That's - wow - I can't believe it -"

"Sleep now, little one. You need to heal, too."

"Okay", she murmured, but a second later, she added, "Loki?"

"Hm?"

"What on Earth did my mum say when you told her where I was?"

Loki grinned. "She slapped me."

A strangled laugh escaped Layla's throat. "She slapped you?"

"Yes. And then she spat at me."

"Oh god -" Layla couldn't hold back a giggle before she added, "And my sister?"

"She called me silly because I didn't know who Harry Potter was."

Layla burst into helpless, exhausted laughter. "Wow. The women in my family are really giving you a hard time, huh?"

A soft smile spread over Loki's face, and he pressed Layla even tighter into his embrace.

"Yes, darling. They sure are."

 

 

 


End file.
